Brennan 100 Years of ANZAC Centenary News

PETER CHANDLER MLA Member for Brennan April 2015

As part of its strong commitment to the Territorys Defence community, the Country Liberals Government is working with the Australian Government to repatriate Australian Vietnam veterans buried at the Terendak Military Cemetery in Malaysia and the Kranji Cemetery in Singapore.

I am honoured to be appointed Minister for Veterans Support for the Northern Territory. In late March I travelled to Canberra to meet with Federal Minister for Veterans Affairs, Senator Michael Ronaldson, to discuss the Northern Territorys support for the repatriation.

I have had positive discussions with Minister Ronaldson regarding the repatriation. Minister Ronaldson is very sympathetic to the cause and has, for the first time in more than 50 years, initiated a detailed investigation of how these men could be repatriated.

Minister Ronaldson and the Australian Government are progressing consideration of this sensitive issue. I have shared the Northern Territory Governments support of the proposal with Minister Ronaldson who understands completely our position on this matter.

One of those buried is Corporal Reg Hillier, who was the sole Territorian killed in the Vietnam War.

Operation Bring them Home As a Government, we place a high priority on recognising the contribution our Defence force makes to the community and through this project, we can make a real contribution to the families of Vietnam veterans.

The Government wants to step up its efforts to recognise the contributions made by our Defence personnel.

Territorians take pride in supporting the efforts and sacrifice of our military personnel and I commend the hundreds of Territorians who turned out to the Operation Slipper welcome home parade in Darwin on Saturday 21st March 2015.

It was encouraging to see so many fellow Territorians honour those who have served in Afghanistan and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The Northern Territory is the countrys northern frontier. The history of Defence in the Territory is our history and this Country Liberals Government will continue to build on that.

PETER CHANDLER MLA Member for Brennan REMEMBERING 100 YEARS OF ANZAC CENTENARY April 2015

I joined Chief Minister Adam Giles and Parliamentary Secretary Lia Finocchiaro at the official farewelled a contingent of Territory students and teachers bound for ANZAC Centenary commemorations at Gallipoli this month.

Four lucky students will be representing the Northern Territory at ANZAC Cove on April 25 as part of the 2015 Chief Ministers Anzac Spirit Study Tour.

Amy Chittick from Darwin High School, Juliette Parsons from Darwin Middle School, Jack Lake of Palmerston Senior College and Stevie Pocock from Taminmin College are off on a trip of a lifetime, keeping our ANZAC story alive.

As a special tribute, the four students were presented with the Australian Army Rising Sun badge by Commander 1st Brigade Brigadier Mick Ryan.

The 1st Brigade is honoured to host this event in the year of the Centenary of ANZAC and we wish the participants the best of luck on this important trip, Brigadier Ryan said.

The students will be asked to lay the Rising Sun badges at the Anzac Day ceremony at Lone Pine.

Taking this small piece of the Territory to Gallipoli will be a moving symbol that connects the current soldiers serving in 1st Brigade with the soldiers from the same brigade who fought at Gallipoli 100 years ago, Mr Giles said.

History Teacher and Assistant Principal at Palmerston Senior College Robert Lee will accompany the group on their trip to Turkey. Corporal Cynthia Gilchrist from RAAF Darwin will be the Defence Chaperone on the tour.

The Study Tour is part of a four year, $4.5 million Territory Government program of events commemorating the Centenary of World War I.

Other NT Government Centenary commemoration activities from 2014- 2018 include:

TheBorellaRidewhichrecreatedthejourneyof theTerritorys only Victoria Cross recipient Albert Borella from Tennant Creek to Darwin to enlist.

A$100,000communitygrantsprogram.

ANZACMemorialGardenontheEsplanade.

Re-namingthepathwayneartheDarwinCenotaphtobecome known as the ANZAC Centenary Walk.

To follow the tour like the Chief Ministers Anzac Spirit Study Tour Facebook page:www.facebook.com/anzacspirit

Amy Chittick, Juliette Parsons, Jack Lake, Stevie Pocock, Chief Minister Adam Giles, myself, Commander 1st Brigade Brigadier Mick Ryan, History Teacher and Assistant Principal Robert Lee and Parliamentary Secretary Lia Finocchairo.

ANZAC Spirit lives on with Gallipoli study tour


The Chief Ministers Anzac Spirit Study Tour students joined with other guests to commemorate the completion of the Borella Ride on Tuesday 3 March.

Through March 2015 the Northern Territory paid tribute to its only Victoria Cross recipient Albert Borella by starting the re-enactment of his remarkable journey from Tennant Creek to enlist in World War I.

From the Barkly in 1915, Albert Borella walked, swam through flooded rivers, rode horses and eventually travelled on a mail coach and a train to Darwin.

Unable to sign on there, he was taken by ship to Queensland for training and then travelled via Western Australia before serving at Gallipoli and then the Western Front.

Borella received the distinctions of the Military Medal and a Mention in Despatches for his actions on the battlefield. Borella was made an officer and in 1918 he received the highest military honour, the Victoria Cross, for most conspicuous bravery in attack.

Stevie Pocock described the experience by saying It was incredible to see and hear about the impact of one man, on his family, in the war, in the army, in the NT after 100 years.

I celebrated the finish of the re-enactment of the Borella Ride on 3 March with the Chief Ministers Anzac Spirit Study Tour students and Stevie Pocock.

Honouring the Borella RideIt was also an honour to meet people like Keith Payne who have seen the horrors of war and have made such a positive impact on those around them, despite all that they have seen and done.


Saturday 25 April 2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli, Turkey.

Gunners Breakfast: 4:30am, Palmerston Sports Club

Dawn Service: 6am, Memorial Park Palmerston

Breakfast: 7am, Palmerston Sports Club

ANZAC March: 9:50am, starting at Bunnings, marching down the Boulevard, onto Palmerston Circuit and finishing at Memorial Park

Morning Service: 10am (at the conclusion of the March), Memorial Park.

Youth Vigil is from 6pm on 24 April 2015 at Memorial park until 6am following morning.

Whats on ANZAC Day with the Palmerston RSL

Commemorating the ANZACs at Palmerstons Dawn Service in 2014 with Federal Member for Solomon Natasha Griggs and Member for Drysdale Lia Finocchiaro.

ANZAC DAY 2015Palmerston RSL


Darwin Chorale Club are providing an opportunity for our NT Community to provide family photographs of their relatives who were involved in WWI to help illustrate our upcoming performance of The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace by Karl Jenkins.

We are extending an invitation to the wider community to share pictures of their own family members who were part of the war to end all wars.

Would you like the opportunity to remember a grandparent, Aunty or Uncle during this production at DEC?

It would be wonderful to include images from any nationality across the war... soldiers, nurses, chaplains, anyone.

Selected photos of soldiers, the battlefield, as well as photos of your ancestors, will be projected onto screens behind the singers as the Darwin Chorale and orchestra perform this hauntingly powerful and passionate music at theDECPlayhouse.

If you are interested in sharing images of your forebears who fought in or were involved in WWI, please email Fiona at Darwin Chorale on [email protected]

PS. PHOTOS: Please include your contact details as well as details of your ancestors with your photos.

The Armed Man: A Mass For PeaceThe Armed Man: a mass for peace will be performed by the Darwin Chorale and Orchestra on ANZAC Day at the DarwinEntertainmentCentre(DEC)from7.30pm.TicketsareavailablefromDECbycalling89903333orthroughYOURCENTRE.COM.AU

For more information re tickets go to: www.yourcentre.com.au/#!/events/181/


Darwin and Palmerston will be immersed in Australias First World War Story with Federal Member for Solomon, Natasha Griggs announcing that a special travelling exhibition will visit Darwin in October 2016.

This experience is a flagship community event of the national programme providing visitors with a unique and interactive insight into Australias involvement in the First World War, incorporating cutting edge virtual reality and technology.

Mrs Griggs said the moment people enter this exhibit, it will be as if they are stepping off a ship and onto the shores of Gallipoli. From there, as they move throughout the exhibit, they will trace the movements of Anzac Soldiers through the trenches of the Western Front and the deserts of Palestine right up to the signing of the Armistice.

TheSpiritof AnzacCentenaryExperienceisfreeof charge and I would strongly encourage all Territorians to visit this extraordinary exhibition.

For more information on the Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience,visitwww.SpiritofAnzac.gov.au

Spirit of Anzac Centenary Exhibition to visit Darwin


The wrecks of sunk in the first Japanese bombing raid on Darwin in 1942 are to be permanently protected by the Northern Territory Government.

Minister for Lands and Planning David Tollner has declared the wrecks heritage places, making it an offence to damage or remove items from the aircraft.

The three US Navy Catalinas were all sunk at their mooringsinDarwinHarboursEastArmwhenmorethan240 Japanese aircraft attacked on 19 February 1942.

The seaplanes crews were not on board at the time.

Three warships were sunk in the attack, as well as a number of merchant vessels.

Although historians disagree on the number of people who died in the raids, at least 243 Allied servicemen and civilians were killed.

Darwin had become a major base for both the Australian and US military as Japanese forces rampaged across SouthEastAsiafollowingtheattackonPearlHarboron7December 1941.

The wrecks were protected following a recommendation by the Heritage Council.

Catalina Flying Boat in Darwin during WWII

Darwin Harbours sunken US seaplanes preserved for posterity

The US Navy backed the application, saying the heritage listing would highlight the joint effort and sacrifices made by both Australian and United States servicemen and citizens in the protection of Australia and the Greater Pacific.


Register now for a great opportunity to be a part of WWII commemoration with the Australian Institute of Professional Photography. Reflections- Honouring our WWII

Veterans is one of the most ambitious and time important photographic projects undertaken in Australia.

With the generous support of AIPP Accredited Photographers and membership, supported by the RSL and Australian War Memorial Reflections aims to photograph the remaining Veterans of WWII to create a significant archive for the nation that reflects a sensitive portrayal of their elderly state and provide a cognisant comparison to the wartime images of young active men and women.

Veterans will receive a commemorative print in an embossed presentation folder to honour their participation and the images archived with the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

we will remember them is a commitment for all Australians to keep, if you want to honour that commitment and demonstrate your support sign up today, they did 75 years ago for a different cause and it is our time to show them how much we respect what they did.

If you know someone or are interested please check out their website to register at http://www.aipp.com.au/about/the-aipp-reflections-project

The AIPP Reflections Project

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Brennan 100 Years of ANZAC Centenary News