Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: naturalman1975
Just curious,naturalman...does Australia have anything that's the rough equivalent of our Arlington National Cemetery and,if so,how does one qualify for internment there?
2 posted on 10/04/2006 5:42:01 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative ("An empty limousine pulled up and Hillary Clinton got out")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: Gay State Conservative
No, Australia has no real equivalent to Arlington, but special measures are certainly taken to honour our war dead, and to honour veterans at their deaths.

Australia has never had a large scale conflict on our own continent - there were minor rebellions in which elements of the British and Colonial forces fought in the nineteenth century, most notably the Castle Hill Rebellion (1804) and the Eureka Stockade (1854), and parts of Australia were both shelled and bombed by the Japanese during the Second World War but most of our war dead have died overseas and until the Vietnam War, it was general practice to inter Australia's fallen near the locations where they fell, and so no great need for a national cemetery has ever developed. When the dead are repatriated to Australia, their families generally decide where they are buried and normally choose a location close to their homes. There are a number of War Cemeteries in Australia (about 70) which were generally specifically established by local communities so the war dead from their regions could lie together.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which is based in London, assisted by the Office of Australian War Graves ensures that our war dead's plots in Australia and overseas are maintained. The OAWG also ensures the graves of Japanese and German prisoners of war who died while imprisoned in Australia, and who are buried here in their own war cemeteries are maintained in a proper and respectful fashion. The known bodies of the only enemy servicemen to have died in action in Australia - the crew of the Japanese midget submarine that attacked ships in Sydney Harbour - were cremated and repatriated to Japan via neutral nations during the war, in honour of their immense courage and devotion to duty.

OAWG ensures that Australian veteran's whose deaths can be linked to their war service are treated as casualties of war and acknowleged and treated as such at their funerals and internments. The Returned & Services League of Australia with the assistance of the Commonwealth Depatment of Veterans' Affairs ensures proper treatment for other veterans.

But most are buried close to their families. The Honours can and will be rendered at any location.

5 posted on 10/04/2006 6:25:20 PM PDT by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies ]

To: Gay State Conservative

Good question-I'll be watching.


6 posted on 10/04/2006 6:25:28 PM PDT by unkus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson