Wednesday, 7 March 2012

VA016

UPDATE ON DAMAGE TO COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES, BENGHAZI, LIBYA

Minister for Veterans Affairs, Warren Snowdon, said a preliminary assessment indicates damage to 50 Australian headstones in the Benghazi War Cemetery in Libya. Forty-five marked Australian headstones were damaged during the attack, he said. Five headstones of unknown Australian soldiers were also damaged. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission will repair the headstones once the site has been secured. In the interim, identifying markers will be placed on graves. The Australian Government recognises there is a great deal of concern in the Australian community about this attack. This news will be distressing for Australians, Mr Snowdon said. There is no indication that Australian graves were targeted. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission estimates that 238 headstones of ten different nationalities have been damaged. The Cross of Sacrifice, the central feature of the Benghazi War Cemetery, appears to have been the focus of the attack. The Cross has been damaged and will require replacement. Australian graves are located side-by-side in two rows close to the Cross of Sacrifice. Attached is a list of the names of Australian soldiers whose headstones were damaged. Relatives of those buried at Benghazi, wanting information or assistance should contact the Office of Australian War Graves on 02 6289 6474. Media inquiries: Minister Snowdon: Lidija Ivanovski 0407108 935 Department of Veterans Affairs Media: 02 6289 6203

Subscribe to media releases at minister.dva.gov.au/subscribe.htm

BENGHAZI WAR CEMETERY - Australian Damaged Headstones

Rank Lieutenant Flight Sergeant Lance Corporal Sergeant Sapper Major Leading Aircraftman Aircraftman 1st Class Flight Sergeant Lance Corporal Private Private Private Private Corporal Private Lieutenant Colonel Sapper Pilot Officer Corporal Leading Aircraftman Private Sapper Leading Aircraftman Lance Corporal Sergeant Sergeant Private Leading Aircraftman Sergeant Gunner Private Corporal Sergeant Private Sapper Private Signalman Leading Aircraftman Private Lance Corporal Private Forenames LEONARD CLAUDE ROBERT CHARLES ADDISON LINDSAY RAYMOND TOM ALLAN WALTER ERIC GEORGE MURRAY FRANCIS LEO HILARY ELDRED WILLIAM WILFRED HORACE GORDON ALLAN LLOYD CHARLES THOMAS MINERS HENRY THOMAS KELVIN ARCHIBALD JAMES ARVON GRIFFITHS WILLIAM WALTER HARRY BRIAN METCALFE JOHN LINDSAY LAWRENCE WALTER LESLIE JOHN HUGH BENJAMIN STANLEY NORMAN PATRICK FLEMING JUSTIN FRANCIS HUNTLY PERCIVAL ARNOLD ROY VINCENT DANIEL DAVID BURFORD SYDNEY ALBERT DONALD ARNOLD FREDERICK JOHN ALFRED ALBERT JOHN RONALD JAMES GEORGE ROBERT JOHN RANDLE MAURICE BASIL ROBERT HUGH ALBERNEST BERNARD ARTHUR Surname ADAMS ASH ATKINS AULD AYTON, MSM BAILHACHE BARTSCH BAXENDALE BIRK BLENCH BLOUNT BOYD CALDWELL CLIFF COX CROKER CUNNINGHAM DENNEHY EVANS FREEMAN GATES GILMOUR HOPKINS HORNE INGLIS KEITH MATTHEWS McCARTHY McFARLANE McQUILLAN, DCM MORGAN RICHARDSON RILEY SAUNDERS SCHORER SPRAGUE SUTHERLAND TAYLOR THOMPSON THOMSON TOUT TRIPTREE

Flying Officer Aircraftman 1st Class Private

RONALD HARVEY PEET THOMAS FREDERICK JOSEPH WILLIAM

TUCKER WAUGH WHEATON

Note: An additional 5 Australian graves were damaged. These Australian graves were engraved 'Known unto God'