Walking through the centre of Canberra we constantly came across statues and other art work. They added some interest to our walks from one place to another and brightened the city up.
We didn’t go out of our way to find them so were happy when we stumbled on them.
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Running from 16 September to 15 October 2023 in Canberra Australia, the annual Floriade flower show is the country’s largest celebration of spring. This year over one million blooms put on an amazing display of colour.
We walked around the displays on the first day they were open, lucky enough to have arranged time off to be in Canberra for the event. Photos do not do justice to the displays or the effort that has gone into preparing them because of the size and diversity of the garden beds.
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During our previous trip to Canberra, the gallery “Conflicts 1945” to Today in the Australian War Memorial was closed because of the renovations. This time however, it was open, so we took the opportunity to look around.
This gallery commemorates all the conflicts involving Australians from 1945 to today. This includes Korea, Malaya, Vietnam, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan as well as numerous peace-keeping operations.
This section commemorates Australia’s participation in the Korean War, particularly the army’s 3RAR, the RAAF’s 77 Squadron and the Royal Australian Navy.
Of the 17,000 Australians who served in Korea, casualties numbered more than 1,500, of whom 339 were killed. The majority served with the Australian Army.
The RAAF’s 77 Squadron was initially equipped with North American P-51 Mustangs, but these were later replaced with Gloster Meteor jet fighters. These, however, were outclassed as a fighter by the faster and more manoeuvrable MiG-15 operated by the Chinese and North Korean’s. As a result, they undertook ground attack missions in support of UN forces.
The RAN stationed HMS Sydney in Korean waters equipped with Firefly and Sea Fury aircraft. These made over 2,700 sorties, losing 9 aircraft with three aircrew killed.
Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War lasted from 1962 until 1973. Over 60,000 Australians participated, the majority being from the army. Of these 523 were killed and nearly 2,400 wounded.
One of the most interesting displays in the Long Tan Cross, erected after the Battle of Long Tan, to commemorate those who died.
In August 1966 a company of 6RAR was engaged in one of Australia’s heaviest actions of the war, in a rubber plantation near Long Tan. The 108 soldiers of D Coy held off an enemy force, estimated at over 2000, for four hours in the middle of a tropical downpour. They were greatly assisted by a timely ammunition resupply by RAAF helicopters, close fire support from Australian artillery, and the arrival of reinforcements in APCs as night fell. When the Viet Cong withdrew at night fall, they left behind 245 dead, but carried away many more casualties. Seventeen Australians were killed and 25 wounded, with one dying of wounds several days later.
Displayed in the Dong Nai Museum in Bien Hoa after the war, the Government gifted it to Australia in 2017.
Representing the Royal Australian Navy’s contribution to the war is a model of the aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney. Other Australian ships provided escort, or fire-support duties, while aircrew served with US forces.
The Australian Army has displays covering the major equipment used, including artillery, an armoured personnel carrier and an Iroquois helicopter in the act of inserting troops.
This section covers Australia’s more recent involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Some of Australia’s more important and long-term engagements have been peacekeeping deployments. These have been important because they assist in stabilizing areas of unrest while helping the local people recover from or avoid conflict. A map illustrating where deployments are or have been was very interesting. Many of these have not been well represented in the press, despite their contribution to world peace.
As the War Memorial continues its redevelopment, older areas such as this will be modernised. It is still an amazing pace to visit because of what it represents and has many great displays.