General News
27 April, 2022
Terang RSL unveils new memorial
A NEW monument honouring eight fallen Vietnam veterans was unveiled at the Terang Returned and Services League (RSL) hall on Tuesday.
A NEW monument honouring eight fallen Vietnam veterans was unveiled at the Terang Returned and Services League (RSL) hall on Tuesday.
The plaque and stone installed in the memorial garden is dedicated to all members of Delta Company 2RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Battalion who served in the Vietnam War between 1967 and 1968.
The plaque also bears the names of eight members of D-company who did notreturn home.
“The plaque is dedicated to eight members of D-company who never returned,” Terang RSL president Terry Fidge said.
“They were killed in action in Vietnam between 1967 and 1968."
“Today is a reunion of the members who were with D-company who travelled to Terang from all over Australia to dedicate the plaque to those eight men who never returned home."
“Their name will be here in stone forevermore.”
Mr Fidge said the memorial also served as a beacon for all members of D-company, to reinforce they had a home-away-from-home in Terang to reflect on their fallen brothers.
“It will be a site where any members of 2RAR who are travelling around Australia can find the monument listed and stop to pay homage to those members who never came home with them,” he said.
“We’re now part of 2RAR D-company and they’re going to give us some more information."
“This will be a second base for them but they’re looking at Terang as a second home.”
The unveiling culminated a special reunion for members of 2RAR D-company, who came from across Australia to spend four days reuniting in Terang as part of Anzac Day.
Guest speaker Gordon Hurford AM, a D-company veteran, thanked members of the Terang RSL for their diligent work and Brian Humphrey, a D-company veteran and Terang native, for setting the wheels in motion.
“When Brian (Humphrey) invited us to come to Terang I said, ‘Where? How do you spell it?’” he said.
“Now I feel like I am a part of the town."
“I thank the community for its hospitality."
“I hope a little bit of Terang has rubbed off on us, and a little bit of us has rubbed offon Terang.”