Here's a story covering the specific debate around #BenRobertsSmith and the #AustralianWarMemorial.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jun/02/ben-roberts-smith-calls-for-uniform-to-be-removed-from-australian-war-memorial-display

The Australian government is trying to stay clear of the issue, by saying that this was a civil, not a criminal case, and that criminal cases against ADF members who allegedly committed #WarCrimes a decade ago are beginning to make their way through the courts. #BenRobertsSmith's defenders (many of them powerful and influential figures) are emphasising the same distinction, effectively claiming that nothing at all needs to be done until a criminal case is brought and the truth established to a higher standard. BRS still has "a right to be considered innocent until proven guilty". And this civil case was not seeking to establish criminal guilt.

Let's consider that claim: that since BRS has not been proven guilty in a criminal case, but 'only' lost a civil case, it is not appropriate for, say, the #AustralianWarMemorial to remove the displays that celebrate BRS (such as his uniform and two large portraits of him), as some are now pushing for. That is, his defenders claim he ought to still be considered innocent of the crimes that a court of law just found to be true (at least true on the balance of probabilities).

There is much confusion about these matters. Here's how I understand it.

Hello. I recently took a look at the works being done at the #AustralianWarMemorial and you might be interested in these photos. Sharing without comment on the merits or otherwise of what's underway.

Looking up #AnzacParade to the Memorial, a large crane breaks the view of Mount Ainslie behind it. Street level at the top of the Parade is a wide stretch of scaffolding covered by an image of the building's usual front vista.

From the lookout at Mount Ainslie some of the ground works being hidden by the scaffolding are visible.

Including a classic view looking down from Mount Ainslie, along the Parade and across the lake to old and new parliament houses and other national buildings in the parliamentary triangle. Stunning.

#AWM #Canberra #Australia #MountAinslie #BushCapital #AustralianParliamentHouse #APH #Bushland #Bush #Lake #LakeBurleyGriffin #Nature

#LestWeForget.

Hello. I recently took a look at the works being done at the #AustralianWarMemorial and you might be interested in these photos. Sharing without comment on the merits or otherwise of what's underway.

Looking up #AnzacParade to the Memorial, a large crane break the view to Mount Ainslie behind it. Street level at the top of the Parade is a wide stretch of scaffolding covered by an image of the building's usual front vista.

From the lookout at Mount Ainslie some of the ground works being hidden by the scaffolding are visible.

Including a classic view looking down from Mount Ainslie, along the Parade and across the lake to old and new parliament houses and other national buildings in the parliamentary triangle. Stunning.

#AWM #Canberra #Australia #MountAinslie #BushCapital #AustralianParliamentHouse #APH #Bushland #Bush #Lake #LakeBurleyGriffin #Nature

#LestWeForget.

Part 1 of the army life of my great uncle Jack Smith. So lucky we have service dossiers and unit diaries here in Australia at the #NationalArchivesAustralia and #AustralianWarMemorial #genealogy #FamilyHistory https://suewyatt.edublogs.org/2023/05/01/jack-bomber-smith/

#LestWeForget #ANZACDay
#MontevideoMaru #WW2 #Australia #History #AWM #AustralianWarMemorial

https://theconversation.com/the-australian-war-memorial-must-deal-properly-with-the-frontier-wars-203851
Excellent discussion of why the #AustralianWarMemorial needs to tell the #Truth about the Australian wars fought in the 19th & 20th centuries – direct consequences of the first acts of dispossession of 1788 #VoiceTreatyTruth #auspol

Over the weekend I have been reflecting on the discovery of the SS #MontevideoMaru along with many, many others. The timing is poignant for Anzac Day.

Wreathes and cards were left at the 2012 dedication of the memorial sculpture at the #AustralianWarMemorial. Many spoke of sons, brothers, uncles or distant relatives - all had died too young to have formed their own families.

My mother's uncle was a POW on this ship; he was 38. His wife never re-married, raising their son alone - a common #WW2 story. She remained a war widow from 1942 until her death at the fabulous age of 101. She was a lovely, caring, and inspirational woman.

I am sure my mother would have found great comfort in knowing the ship's resting place had been found. I will be thinking of them all on ANZAC Day and visiting the memorial when possible.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-22/montevideo-maru-wwii-shipwreck-found/102255384

https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/visitor-information/sculpture-garden/rabaul-montevideo-mar-memorial

Kim Beazley backs ‘proper recognition of frontier conflict’ at Australian War Memorial https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/06/kim-beazley-recognition-frontier-wars-conflict-australian-war-memorial #AustralianWarMemorial #IndigenousAustralians #Australianpolitics #Australianmilitary #Australianews #Frontierwars

Putting together a presentation about #MilitaryRecords in Australia, New Zealand and UK. Anyone have some great website links I could use?

I have #NationalArchivesAustralia
#AustralianWarMemorial #CommonwealthWarGravesCommission

A long time ago, I used to work on a project which helped relatives of those who died in WW1 get understand their records, and provided a printed certificate they could frame. I spent a lot of time with fragile paper records, deciphering scrawled pencil abbreviations, and straining over microfiche. I read the complete 12 volume War History by C.E.W. Bean, and many other primary sources and reference books.

It was a good service, not many people used it, and then the funding dried up for the project.

I’m glad to see that more letters, art, and diaries are gradually being digitised for anyone to view. This is what the Australian War Memorial should be spending their precious funding on, IMHO - not a new building which nobody wanted.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/nov/10/joy-loss-and-relief-digitised-collection-reveals-the-stories-behind-armistice-day

#AWM #AustralianHistory #AustralianWarMemorial