General News
6 February, 2023
Tarnagulla project to memorialise local soldiers
Banners commemorating the war time service of those from Tarnagulla will soon be produced as part of a project to “put faces to the names” of servicemen and women. The Tarnagulla Public Hall Committee of Management has received a grant of just...
Banners commemorating the war time service of those from Tarnagulla will soon be produced as part of a project to “put faces to the names” of servicemen and women.
The Tarnagulla Public Hall Committee of Management has received a grant of just over $5100 to commission banners showing the faces, names and service history of twenty men and women from Tarnagulla and district who served in WWI and WWII.
Made possible through the Federal Government’s Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program, the banners will showcase some of the many locals who served in both World Wars.
The hall’s committee of management secretary Dr MeganCardamone said the project was an important one for the community.
“We have an Anzac Day ceremony each year and usually there’s one service person who’s featured each time,” she said.
“With these banners, it means we can showcase all more of our servicemen and women and their history both at war and in the community.”
Dr Cardamone said the committee’s project has been inspired by the Homecoming projectundertaken by the Central Goldfields Art Gallery and Michael Grant of the Australian War Memorial, which captured the faces and stories of service personnel from the Central Goldfields.
“The photos and stories of many of our service personnel are in the hall’s archive collection, and these were supplemented with research using service records in the National Archives and the Australian War Memorial’s unit diaries,” she said.
“Sadly quite a few local men were killed and wounded in the wars so there was a substantial impact on the community here.
“Their names are on honour rolls but this will put faces to their names which is important.
“Our historian is also writing a short piece about these people and who they were before they left so it will have that human dimension as well which is great.”
The project will commence in the coming months, with the committee hopeful of utilising the banners from Anzac Day next this year.
Member for Mallee Anne Webster congratulated the committee on their initiative.
“I am pleased this funding is able to be delivered to the community in Tarnagulla,” she said.
“It is so important we respect and commemorate the service of our servicemen and women, and I look forward to their plan coming to fruition.”
The Saluting Their Service Program is funding from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs for projects and activities that commemorate the service and sacrifice of Australia’s military personnel in wars, conflicts and peace operations.