From the Federal Master
Gentlemen
The Merchant Navy Memorial Fund is upgrading the existing National Memorial in Kings Park on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.
The plan is to install two additional panels each side of the current Memorial and also for the first time have the names of those Seafarers that lost their lives in WWI and WWII in Australian waters shown on the additional panels.
This work entails moving the flagpole on the left hand side of the Memorial and widening the dais, substituting white pebbles for the red gravel on the lower step, moving the retaining wall on the right hand side and improving the Memorial in general.
The National Capital Authority who own the land on which the Memorial stands are contributing by installing wheelchair access and paths leading to the upgraded Memorial and more parking.
The estimates for raising funds are about $200,000 and we are approaching all Maritime Community in Australia to help fund this once in a lifetime project.
Would you please distribute the Fund Raising Appeal as widely as possible to all Branch members and affiliated Maritime Organisations to help with funding the new works at the National MN Memorial.
I have attached a brochure which mentions how groups can donate through EFT or individual donations. We request a name in the reference section to allow us to acknowledge these donations.
As you know I am very passionate about the Australian Merchant Navy and would like to have the crest of the Merchant Navy Side by side with the emblems of the Army, Navy and Airforce on all Memorials around Australia.
To this day we lack serious recognition by the population in general. When you ask school kids where things come from in the shops the answer is “trucks” and when you enquire, before that? You get “don’t know”. Vast majority have no idea we import most goods by sea and barely have over three weeks worth of fuel reserves in the country.
Gentlemen, as an example Sydney Branch has opted to “pass the hat around” for three monthly Branch meetings and send the collective Donation to MN War Memorial Fund at the end of July.
Thank you in advance for distributing the appeal and warm regards
Yours aye
Ted
