Fiona Phillips (Gilmore, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I was pleased to drop into the Nowra Museum and meet with the enthusiastic and dedicated members of the Shoalhaven Historical Society. The local historians work really hard to look after and showcase the history of our region. As a proud defence town, it's really important to ensure our military history is preserved. That's why I was delighted to announce that a very special Red Ensign flag will be restored, thanks to a federal government Saluting Their Service commemorative grant. The flag was presented to World War I volunteer recruits as they departed Nowra as part of the 1915 Waratahs march.

The flag represents a significant day in our town's history, so I was happy to support the Shoalhaven Historical Society's application for $2,420 to preserve it. The Waratahs march Red Ensign is such an important piece of local military history. It represents the sacrifice that so many young men from right across the Shoalhaven made in World War I. The grant will ensure the restoration of the fragile flag so that it can be safely stored and displayed on special occasions at the Nowra Museum.

The Nowra Red Cross president, Mrs Rodway, presented the Red Ensign to Captain Blow when the Waratahs march left Nowra on 30 November 1915 bound for Sydney's Centennial Park. According to the Shoalhaven News at the time, an enthusiastic demonstration was held outside the Nowra post office in Junction Street—which is just outside my electorate office—as the 70-strong group heeded the call of the Empire. The Waratahs recruited men as they marched north along the coast through Bomaderry, Berry, Gerringong, Kiama and Jamberoo, and 120 volunteers had enlisted by the time they arrived in Sydney on 18 December 1915.

Most of the Waratahs served as 1st Battalion reinforcements on the Western Front and, sadly, 28 of those young men never returned home. It's so important that stories of military service are commemorated and shared in a defence town like Nowra. The Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants program has funded thousands of projects nationwide, shining a light on the veteran community and the sacrifices they have made. Today I want to say a huge thank you to the Shoalhaven Historical Society members, including President Lyn Allen and Secretary Tim Rigney, for ensuring the survival of our Waratahs Red Ensign. Its preservation means people can learn about significant military events in our town's history for generations to come.