By Jeremy Sollars
A dinner to raise funds for a new war memorial wall and dais in Warwick’s Leslie Park last Saturday night raised more than $10,000 for the project.
The Warwick Community Development Anzac Memorial Committee dinner held at the Warwick RSL Memorial Club featured Shane Webcke as guest speaker and a charity auction which raised around $3000 alone.
The committee aims to have the new memorial wall and dais in place before Anzac Day 2018.
The new memorial wall – to be built near the existing Leslie Park cenotaph – will commemorate every conflict in which Australians have served, from the Boer War to Afghanistan, and the dais will be a permanent stage for Anzac Day and other wartime commemorations, with a temporary stage currently used at those events.
But a particular emphasis of the memorial wall itself is on recognising the service of younger veterans – in post-Vietnam conflicts like Somalia, Rwanda, Bougainville, East Timor, the Solomon Islands and Iraq and Afghanistan.
Shane Webcke spoke about his football career and his dad, Tom, who was killed in an accident at the Warwick Woollen Mills. Tom was a Vietnam veteran, serving aboard the Royal Australian Navy destroyer HMAS Brisbane during the Vietnam conflict, with the Brisbane having been deployed to support the US Seventh Fleet.
Committee president Johnno Felton said he was thrilled with the turnout for last Saturday’s dinner, with around 120 people, including children, in attendance.
He thanked Shane Webcke for his “brilliant” speech and volunteer auctioneer Tom Potts, whose antics kept the audience entertained, and DJ Vince for the music.
Another charity auction to raise money for the project will be held at the Bony Mountain Music Festival in September.
Johnno said the committee was confident work on the new memorial wall and dais would start as planned in November and would be ready in time for Anzac Day 2018.
If you would like to donate to the fund, contact Johnno Felton on 4661 8697 or 0467 612 342.
Local businesses and individuals who donated items to Saturday night’s charity auction included Bell Butchers, Canterbury Meats, WIRAC, the Warwick Hotel, Ray Bunch Machinery, Mark Russell, Ken Ashton, Cassels Automotive, the Friendly Society, the Condamine Sports Club, the RSL Memorial Club, Neil’s Filters and Bearings and the Warwick Warrior Woodcutters.
Warwick Yellow Cabs donated two nights at the Gold Coast and a return trip by stretched limo as the major raffle prize, won by Anita Morris.
‘The Watch’
(Adapted for Petty Officer Myron (Tom) Leslie Webcke)
For eleven years,
This sailor stood the watch
While some of us were in our bunks at night,
This sailor stood the watch
While some of us were in school learning our trade,
This shipmate stood the watch
Yes . . . even before some of us were born into this world,
This shipmate stood the watch
In those years when the storm clouds of war were seen
brewing on the horizon of history,
In Malaya, Borneo and Vietnam,
This shipmate stood the watch
Many times his thoughts would have wondered ashore,
to think of his family and loved ones he adored,
Needing his guidance and help,
Needing his hand to hold during hard times,
But still, he stood the watch
He stood the watch for eleven years,
He stood the watch so that we, our families,
And our fellow countrymen could sleep soundly in safety,
Each and every night,
Knowing that a sailor stood the watch
Tonight we are here to say:
“Shipmate Tom . . . the watch stands relieved.
Relieved by those you inspired through selfless service and sacrifice
Shipmate Tom, you stand relieved . . . your son now has the watch!”
– Anonymous
