Tweed Heads Memorial Walkway

About

Thia memorial walkway is located in Chris Cunningham Park in Tweed Heads, NSW. It features numerous bronze plaques, inscribed with raised lettering, commemorating Australian military units and organisations. The plaques are attached to decorative lattice panels set within garden beds. Several plaques have known dedication dates and those have separate records on the NSW War Memorials Register. Plaques without a known dedication date are detailed below.  The memorial was built by Tweed Shire Council and the Coolangatta sub-Branch of the RSL. It was dedicated on 16 April 2000. A plaque detailing the event is also located along the walk.   Chris Cunningham Park is a site of Anzac Day and other commemorative services. 2nd Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment plaque Commemorates those who have served with the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment. The plaque bears the military emblem of the battalion at the top. The battalion was first formed in 1945 as the 66th Battalion. It saw active service in Korea, Malaya, Borneo and Vietnam, as well as peacekeeping in Japan, Rwanda, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan. 450 Royal Australian Air Force Squadron plaque Dedicated to those who served and died in the Second World War, from the 450 Royal Australian Air Force (R.A.A.F.) Squadron. The plaque bears the squadron's emblem at the top. The squadron was formed at Williamtown, NSW on 16 February 1941. It served in Syria, Egypt, El Alamein, Libya, Sicily and Italy. It was nicknamed the 'Desert Harassers' after 'Lord Haw Haw', a German propagandist, who said the Australian's "harassing tactics were easily beaten off by the Luftwaffe" (Source: Australian War Memorial). It arrived in the Middle East in May, and served in the Western Desert Campaigns. The squadron disbanded at Lavarino in Italy on 20 August 1945. 7th Australian Destroyer Flotilla plaque Commemorates the ships and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) personnel of the 7th Australian Destroyer Flotilla, who served in the Second World War. The ships were N Class destroyers, commissioned into the RAN in 1940-1942. They served up to 1945 in the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Pacific Seas. The plaque bears the Latin phrase 'Cedere Nescio', meaning 'I know not how to yield'. This motto was given to HMAS Norman of the flotilla. Royal Australian Regiment Association plaque Dedicated to all soldiers of the Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) who have died serving Australia. In the centre of the plaque is the insignia of the RAR Association, which features a kangaroo and crossed rifles.  RAASC Supply Platoons Association plaque Dedicated to all who served with the Royal Australian Army Service Corps (RAASC) Supply Platoons during the Vietnam War. The colour insignia of the RAASC Vietnam Supply Platoons Associaition is in the centre of the plaque.  Royal Australian Corps of Signals plaque Dedicated to all who served with the Royal Australian Corps of Signals during the Vietnam War. On the left-hand side of the plaque is the insignia of the corps. The phrase 'Certa Cito' at the top of the plaque means 'Swift and Sure'.  7th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment Plaque Dedicated to all who served and fell from the 7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR). At the top of the plaque is the insignia of the RAR, with the Roman numeral for the number 7 inscribed next to the bottom right corner. Excerpt from the Australian War Memorial: The [7RAR] was raised on 1 September 1965 at Puckapunyal, Victoria. The battalion began arriving in Vietnam in April 1967, relieving 5RAR. It was part of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) and was based at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy province. The battalion served in Vietnam until relieved by 1RAR on 9 April 1968, and arrived in Sydney on 26 April. It returned to Vietnam in February 1970, again relieving 5RAR. A year later, the battalion was relieved by 3RAR and arrived in Sydney on 10 March 1971.  3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment plaque Dedicated to all who fell from the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR), which has seen active service in Japan, Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq. The plaque is decorated with the insignia of the RAR and two badges of the battalion. The Parachute Wings badge on the right-hand side is worn by paratroopers of the 3RAR.  Excerpt from the Australian War Memorial: In 1945 Australia sent three units to Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF).  Originally known as the 65th, 66th and 67th Infantry Battalions, they were raised from Australian divisions stationed in New Guinea at the end of the Second World War. On 23 November 1948, the battalions were renamed the First, Second and Third Battalion, The Australian Regiment, respectively. The prefix "Royal" was granted by King George VI on 31 March 1949. 1 Field Squadron Sappers plaque Commemorates all Field Squadron Sappers and explosive detection dogs of the Royal Australian Engineers (R.A.E.) who have given their lives in service. The 1st Field Squadron R.A.E., post-Second World War, is a modern equivalent of the original Field Company of Engineers raised in the First World War. A Field Squadron is divided in troops with specialist tasks and equivalents. The battalion has varied engineer duties, but also the removal of booby traps, mines and other explosives. More recently in the Middle East operations it has played a key role in detecting Improvised Explosive Devices, often with specially trained dogs (Source: Australian War Memorial). Delta Company 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC) plaque Dedicated to the Australians and New Zealanders who served in Delta Company of the 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (4RAR) during the Vietnam War. The plaque bears the insignias of the Australian and New Zealand military services. The battalion became known as the 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC) when the two New Zealand Infantry Regiment Companies 'V' and 'W' joined it for a twelve month tour of Vietnam. It was replaced by 6RAR on 1 May 1969 and departed for Australia on 19 May. After training in Australia it went to Vietnam for a second tour in May 1971. The battalion was there during the withdrawal from South Vietnam.  Far East Strategic Reserve plaque Dedicated to those who served on Australian ships in South East Asia in 1955-1971. The plaque bears the insignia of the Far East Strategic Reserve (FESR), which was formed in 1955. It is also known as the British Commonwealth FESR (Source: Royal Australian Navy). 2/33rd Australian Infantry Battalion A.I.F. plaque Dedicated to those who served in the 2/33rd Australian Infantry Battalion during the Second World War. The plaque bears the insignias of the Australian Commonwelth Military Forces and the battalion, with the motto 'Strike Hard' inscribed below. Excerpt from the Australian War Memorial: The 2/33rd Infantry Battalion was one of three formed in the United Kingdom on 27 June 1940 to create the 25th Infantry Brigade. The battalion's personnel were drawn from throughout the Australian force that had arrived in Britain earlier in the month and manpower shortages meant the battalion included only three rifle companies instead of the usual four. It was initially known as the 72nd Battalion and was based at Tidworth, but in October it was retitled the 2/33rd, and in the same month relocated to Colchester. It left Britain on 10 January 1941 and disembarked in Egypt on 8 March 1940.  The battalion served in the Middle East, New Guinea and Borneo from 1941-1945. Personnel returned to Australia from 1945 and the 2/33 was disbanded in Brisbane on 12 March 1946. Korean War plaque Dedicated to the men and women who served in the Korean War. The plaque includes the insignia of the Association of Queensland Korea Veterans Incorporated.  Excerpt from the Australian War Memorial: Personnel from the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the Australian Regular Army (ARA) were committed soon after the Korean War began. Australian Forces remained in Korea as part of the multi-national peacekeeping force until 1957. 29th Australian Infantry Brigade plaque Dedicated to those who served in the 29th Australian Infantry Brigade in the Second World War. The plaque bears the insignia of the Australian Imperial Force and a simple Latin cross. The brigade served in New Guinea and included the 15th, 42nd and 47th infantry battalions, and in time, the 11th Field Company Royal Australian Engineers and 7th Field Ambulance.  Ex-Service Women plaque Dedicated by the Tweed Coolangatta District NSW Ex-Services Women's Association in honour of all ex-service women.  2/25th Australian Infantry Battalion plaque Dedicated to those who served in the 2/25th Australian Infantry Battalion in the Second World War. On the plaque are the insignias of the Australian Commonwelth Military Forces and the battalion, with the motto 'What We Have We Hold' inscribed below. The battalion was raised on 1 July 1940, mainly from Queensland volunteers. It trained in Darwin and was then sent to the Middle East in mid-1941. Due to the threat from Japan, it was returned to Australia in early 1942. It took part in fighting in New Guinea in 1942-1943 and 1943-1944, as well as the Borneo Campaign in mid-1945. The battalion served until 13 December 1945. National Servicemen plaque Dedicated to all National Servicemen who served Australia from 1951-1972. The plaque includes the colour insignia of the National Servicemen's Association.  63 Squadron "Winnipeg Wags" plaque Dedicated by the wireless air-gunners of the 63 Squadron, to those who lost their lives in the Second World War. The nickname "Winnipeg Wags" comes from their training ground of Winnipeg in Canada. At the top of the plaque is the insignia of the R.A.A.F. Siege of Tobruk plaques Two bronze plaques dedicated to the soldiers who took part in the 'Siege of Tobruk', which lasted 242 days. The men became known as 'Rats of Tobruk'. One plaque is titled the 'Siege of Tobruk' and the other is titled 'No Surrender'.  Excerpt from the Australian War Memorial: Between April and August 1941, around 14,000 Australian troops were besieged in Tobruk by a German-Italian army commanded by General Edwin Rommell. The garrison, commanded by Lieut General Leslie Morshead consisted of the 9th division, the 18th Brigade of the 7th Division along with four regiments of British artillery and some Indian troops. The Nazi propagandist Lord Haw Haw (William Joyce) derided the tenacious defenders as 'rats', a term that the Australian soldiers embraced as an ironic compliment.