Justine Keay (Braddon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Friday, two significant events took place to mark the sacrifice of our men and women in service to our nation. The first was the 75th anniversary of the sinking of HMAS Armidale by enemy aircraft. That tragedy was marked by the heroics of Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean, from Latrobe in my electorate, who strapped himself to his anti-aircraft gun, firing at the enemy to give his shipmates the best possible chance to survive. Teddy Sheean, like so many others, sacrificed his life in service to his country, and I join the call for him to be recognised with a Victoria Cross.

I also had the privilege of attending the unveiling of a stone monument and commemorative plaques at the Wynyard Cenotaph for two Wynyard locals who died while on active service in Vietnam in 1967—Private Barry Walter Kelly, aged 20, and Private Francis Arthur Hyland, aged 22—and for all Vietnam veterans from the Waratah-Wynyard municipality to recognise their service and sacrifice both during and following the Vietnam War. The Waratah-Wynyard RSL sub-branch, in partnership with the Department of Veterans' Affairs, the RACT, the Rotary Club of Wynyard and, of course, the Waratah-Wynyard Council, made this happen. It's a fantastic monument to so many men and women from the state of Tasmania and the municipality of Waratah and Wynyard in commemorating their service and honouring them in this way.