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Personnel who have served in the RAAF will be forever honoured at a newly dedicated memorial site.
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The Royal Australian Air Force dedicated a new memorial at Point Cook in Victoria on Wednesday (30 March), honouring the 350,000 Australians who have served in the RAAF over the past century, including 11,191 Australians who died serving their nation.
Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld AO DSC said the memorial would serve as a special place to reflect on the contributions of RAAF personnel in defending Australia’s interests since the service was established in 1921.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
The sandstone memorial includes officer and enlisted rank insignia, representative of all employment groups within the RAAF.
“Air Force is proud to have a diverse workforce representative of the Australian community and this memorial symbolises every one of them,” AIRMSHL Hupfeld added.
On special occasions, a spotlight will point upwards from the memorial, looking skyward in honour of 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.
It followed a ‘Serpentine Air Race’ held on Sunday, 20 March — a 100-year tradition, which commenced with the First Official Air Race in 1922.
This year’s display featured the Roulettes aerobatic team and historic RAAF aircraft, including a No. 100 Squadron DH.82A Tiger Moth, a CA-25 Winjeel, Pilatus PC-21 aircraft and the Air Force Balloon.
[Related: Serpentine Air Race to help wrap-up RAAF Centenary celebration]
