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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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209 Squadron Crest
Forgotten War - Memorial Dedication

The Forgotten War 1950 - 1953 is how the Korean War was described by the Minister for Veterans Affairs in the Victorian Government, Mr. Robin Scott MP at the unveiling of the Korean War Memorial 2 May 2019, 66 years after the cease fire.

This is the first such memorial in Victoria, and is located in Quarry Park, Footscray.

Why The Forgotten War? After the Second World War people in the West were simply too tired rebuilding their lives and Europe to focus on yet another conflict. When North Korea invaded the South on 25 June 1950, the United Nations Organisation took over its defence from USA and Australian Occupation Forces (BCOF) based in Japan. Eventually 16 nations took part while 4 supplied medical help - that is the reason for the Memorial.

After the singing of the Korean and Australian national anthems to the accompaniment of the R.A.N. Band, both Veterans Affairs Ministers of Korea and the Victorian Government unveiled the memorial, H E Ambassador of Korea Baek-soon LEE and Minister Veterans Affairs H.E. Woo Jin Pl spoke of Korea’s gratitude for its current prosperity to the veterans whose average age is now 87.

In his speech, the Mayor of the City of Maribyrnong, Cr Martin Zakharov spoke of the closer ties between Australian and Korean young people through language learning and business.

Despite the early rain, among the 400-500 present were about 40 veterans: Koreans, Australians, British, and one Pole, my father RAF Veteran Andrew Mielnik (Service Number 709290) (above), who has lived in Victoria since 1962. (see Polish Archiwum database for Andrew's details along with 17,000 other Poles)

After solemn prayers and the playing of the Last Post, many wreaths were laid, among them one by Andrew In Memory of 14 Members of 205 Sq who perished in Taiwan on 28 January 1951.

Short Sunderland Far East Flying Wing (88 Sqd, 205 Sqd, 209 Sqd) RAAF Iwakuni, Japan

The sun shone brightly at the conclusion of the ceremony as photos were snapped and the veterans greeted each other warmly.

Alicia Mielnik

SY 2019-06-14

Pages of Outstanding Interest
History Airborne Forces •  Soviet Night Witches •  Bomber Command Memories •  Abbreviations •  Gardening Codenames
CWGC: Your Relative's Grave Explained •  USA Flygirls •  Axis Awards Descriptions •  'Lack Of Moral Fibre'
Concept of Colonial Discrimination  •  Unauthorised First Long Range Mustang Attack
RAAF Bomb Aimer Evades with Maquis •  SOE Heroine Nancy Wake •  Fane: Motor Racing PRU Legend
Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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Last Modified: 07 April 2021, 13:12

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