The Royal Australian Air Force dedicated a new memorial at Point Cook today that will forever honour the 350,000 Australians who have served in Air Force in its first century, including 11,191 Australians who died serving their nation.
Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld AO DSC said the Memorial was a special place to pause and reflect on what Air Force personnel had contributed to Australia since 1921, in times of conflict and in peace.
“This memorial stands at the birthplace of the Royal Australian Air Force, as a tribute to the generations of Australians who have proudly worn the Air Force uniform.
“For more than 100 years, Air Force people have displayed courage, resilience, strength and humanity and given so much to protect the freedom we cherish today,” Air Marshal Hupfeld said.
“The sandstone memorial has been designed to be inclusive so every Air Force member, our veterans and their families, can connect with it. The memorial includes officer and enlisted rank insignia, and is representative of all employment groups within Air Force throughout the ages.
“Air Force is proud to have a diverse workforce representative of the Australian community and this memorial symbolises every one of them” Air Marshal Hupfeld said.
On special occasions, a spotlight will point upwards from the memorial, looking forever skyward, honouring the 3,143 Air Force members who have no known grave.
The dedication of the new memorial marked the formal conclusion of the Air Force Centenary program. The Centenary theme, ‘Then. Now. Always.’ is immortalised for future generations of aviators on the centrepiece of the memorial.
To view the memorial dedication ceremony, visit the Air Force official YouTube channel from Thursday 31 March 2022.
For more information on the Centenary of Air Force, visit: Air Force 100