The Hibiscus is the national flower of South Korea, and makes a striking emblem at the memorial in Moore Park for those who served, and those who died during the Korean War, 1950 - 1953. During this time, 340 Australians died, and another 18 died before all Australian troops were withdrawn in 1957.
| Left: Private York's position in the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
Right: Majon'ni, Korea, 9th June 1953. Unidentified men of C Company, 2RAR, in the trenches of left forward Company position on 'The Hook' after relieving 1st Battalion King's Regiment |
One of those who sacrificed all was Private Gordon William York, aged 24 from Dubbo, who was born at Barmedman in the SW of the state. He was a member of the 2nd Batallion Royal Australian Regiment which, after training at Puckapunyal, was shipped to the peninsula aboard MV New Australia, arriving on 17 March 1953. The work was monotonous and dangerous, with many casualties caused by mines. 2RAR patrolled sections of the Jamestown line, in the area of the Imjin and Samichon Rivers. On 14 June 1953, Private York was killed in action. The armistic came into effect on 27th July, 1953.
10 comments:
I've never seen this before. Whereabouts is it?
Adjacent to the rotunda, Jim. Just where Moore Park Road cuts across both ANZAC Parade and South Dowling Street. It is VERY discrete. I stumbled across it on the Centennial Parklands FB page. It is small, but very well designed. It was only created in 2009.
a lovely tribute and how beautiful the 'eternal hibiscus'
A beautiful tribute to what is often a forgotten war I believe! The shadows and light in that last photo create a very moving scene!
A very moving and well-composed post. I particularly like the first and second pictures. What kind of flower collects pebbles rather than raindrops?
Thank, Julie. I'll make a point of visiting next time I'm in the area.
An amazing post Julie, my beautiful uncle served in that war and would never speak a word of his time there. Indeed, Lest We Forget.
It must have been a terrible time for so many.
I am glad to see this - the Korean War does seem to be one of the forgotten ones - WWI and WWII get most of the attention for early 20th century wars.
contemporary war memorials taking on the theme of absence without replacing it with a figurative bronze. Much more effective for me
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