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ABC News
2 days ago
- General
- ABC News
WA prisoners help with project ensuring the legacy of fallen soldiers is remembered
Standing at the Avenue of Honour in West Australian regional city Albany, you can simultaneously see memorials honouring fallen soldiers and the harbour that many Anzacs set off from as they headed for the war front. Hundreds of plaques sit at the base of trees lining the road that leads to the Fallen Soldier Memorial. As the city prepares to host a raft of events next year for Albany 2026, WA's first bicentenary, the area is undergoing a refresh. This included creating a trail under the trees to provide easier access to the plaques, following requests from family members of those being remembered. A team from the Pardelup Prison Farm built the 600-metre footpath in about six weeks. The Section 95 prisoners have the opportunity to work in the community and acquire skills as part of their rehabilitation. One of the inmates involved spoke to the ABC about the work, saying the names on the plaques and "how hard they would have had it back when they went to war" made a lasting impression. "[They're] ages 18,19, all the way up to the mid 20s ... if they didn't do it, we probably wouldn't be here today," he said. David Johnson, Pardelup Prison Farm's vocational support officer, said about a dozen inmates took part. "It's one of the biggest projects we've done and I certainly felt from the crew we had the most buy-in we've had, in regards to them working here," he said. "The former RSL state president spoke to the men at the start to give them a bit of an idea of why we're doing it and the significance wasn't lost on them. "They worked quite tirelessly to finish the project on time." Vietnam veteran Ralph Flowers lives nearby and for many years has been maintaining the plaques, clearing fallen branches. "Before Anzac Day we had a lot of rain here and a lot of the plaques got spray on them, so I came up and dusted a lot of them off," he said. "The first tree on the right is Private [Ronald John] Bell, Vietnam vet. He's got a special significance to me and he's got a couple of beers I put there for him." WA's Corrective Services and Veterans Minister Paul Papalia said he appreciated the prisoners' contributions. "It's a great opportunity for prisoners, for anyone, to be respectful, to make a contribution on behalf of the community and in remembering our veterans," he said. "Across the state, there are more than 150 prisoners who are veterans and you'd imagine that, over time, when we do [more] projects like this, they will have an opportunity to contribute to something that will be close to their hearts." Avenue of Honour refurbishment project coordinator Jane Mouritz said the work of the prisoners was part of a wider project. "In September we will have the Southern Regional TAFE students planting tree seedlings they collected [for] two garden beds book-ending the path," she said. "Next year we have a plan for ongoing care and management of the Avenue for perpetuity, we hope. "We have invited schools, community groups, businesses all throughout Albany to … adopt the Avenue one month at a time."
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Japan marks 80th anniversary of WWII surrender as concern grows about fading memory
TOKYO — Japan is paying tribute to more than 3 million war dead as the country marks its surrender 80 years ago, ending the World War II, as concern grows about the rapidly fading memories of the tragedy of war and the bitter lessons from the era of Japanese militarism.
