A $20,000 state government grant will enable the Earlwood-Bardwell Park war memorial to be upgraded in time for the centenary of Anzac next year.
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Secretary of the Earlwood-Bardwell Park RSL Club and Sub-branch, Bob Collier, said it was the first time they had sought government funding, which would be spent on renewing tiles and "re-doing" the gold lettering on the cenotaph.
"The existing tiles are reasonable but cracked," he said.
Mr Collier said the club and sub-branch had recently paid to have grass relayed and gardens improved around the memorial, to "modernise" the corner it occupies at the entrance to Bardwell Park station.
Minister for Veterans' Affairs Victor Dominello announced funding for upgrades to 17 community war memorials across the state.
"Community war memorials are an enduring reminder of the service and sacrifice that NSW men and women have made in defence of our country over more than a century," he said.
"With the centenary of Anzac period approaching, we all have an obligation to commemorate our Diggers who fought gallantly in World War I to protect the freedoms and privileges we now enjoy."
A committee of RSL representatives, Government Architect and Office of Veterans Affairs considers applications.
Details: veterans.nsw.gov.au
END OF WAR
The 69th anniversary of VP Day was commemorated at the Earlwood-Bardwell Park war memorial last Friday.
Just after 9am on August 15, 1945, prime minister Ben Chifley went on radio to tell the nation the Emperor of Japan had accepted the Allies’ ultimatum to surrender.
Mr Chifley’s announcement was greeted with wild public celebration, and two days of public holiday were declared.
The day became known as VP (Victory in the Pacific) Day.
Japan’s formal surrender took place on USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, which was called VJ Day, (Victory over Japan or Victory in Japan Day).