Queensland’s Shadow Minister for Veterans, Stephen Bennett, has made a special trip to the Torres Strait to pay tribute to the hundreds of lives lost during WWII.
Speaking from Horn Island Veterans Memorial this week where the Shadow Minister laid a wreath, Mr Bennett said it has been a deeply moving experience to visit the resting place of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
“To stand here and visit the military sites and read the names of many lives lost by those defending their territory is a sobering experience,” Mr Bennett said.
“We cannot fully comprehend what these people went through during these dark days.
“880 Torres Strait Islanders volunteered their service in World War II, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with non-Indigenous soldiers to protect the country.
“Horn Island was one of the nation’s most critical defensive positions when Australia faced the threat of Japanese invasion during World War II, and it’s so important that we acknowledge the efforts of the Torres Strait Light Infantry during the campaign.”
This week Mr Bennett was also joined by local former Defence Force serviceman Marsat Ketchell, where they laid wreaths at the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion and RSL Memorial on Thursday Island.
Mr Bennett’s trip also included a visit to the War Memorial on Coconut Island with Poruma Councillor Francis Pearson.
ENDS.
Friday, 29 June 2018