Another anniversary of the bombing of Darwin took place recently and the gross spelling errors in the war memorial on the Esplanade, previously pointed out by Little Darwin , have not been corrected. Furthermore, the website for War Memorials in Australia –Darwin Cenotaph - lists some of the same spelling errors in the text.
These are the errors incised in red granite on the west wall , listing campaigns in which Australians served , set behind the central cenotaph : NETHERLAND’S EAST INDIES instead of NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES; PHILLIPINES instead of PHILIPPINES and UNITED NATION PEACEKEEPING which should be UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING .
For these errors to remain unchanged for years reflects poorly on Darwin , especially the Darwin City Council, the Bombing of Darwin and Military History Advisory Committee, the NT government, the RSL, local historians, numerous armchair generals and admirals. On October 18,2009, Little Darwin pointed out the unsatisfactory situation at the war memorial and spelling errors in the Welcome To Darwin website dealing with significant wartime sites . This drew a zero response-no statement by anybody in authority, no question in the Legislative Assembly in a building on the site of the post office which was bombed with the loss of 10 people , no apparent remedial action.
Back in the 1920s , when the cenotaph was made by a Sydney monumental mason , it was discovered on arrival here that there were spelling errors in names or wrong initials or incorrect ranks in those listed on the plinth. Prompt action was taken to rectify this. Some 90 years later, Darwin dithers when it comes to corrective action. Welcome To Darwin continues with its spelling errors in the guide to war sites.
In what is repugnantly referred to as Darwin’s “brand bombing ”, plans are being made for a large 2012 70th anniversary of the attack on the city with many visitors from overseas, including Hawaii. Wonder if the new US ambassador to Australia noticed that Aussies can’t spell when he attended the latest bombing of Darwin anniversary ?
These are the errors incised in red granite on the west wall , listing campaigns in which Australians served , set behind the central cenotaph : NETHERLAND’S EAST INDIES instead of NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES; PHILLIPINES instead of PHILIPPINES and UNITED NATION PEACEKEEPING which should be UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING .
For these errors to remain unchanged for years reflects poorly on Darwin , especially the Darwin City Council, the Bombing of Darwin and Military History Advisory Committee, the NT government, the RSL, local historians, numerous armchair generals and admirals. On October 18,2009, Little Darwin pointed out the unsatisfactory situation at the war memorial and spelling errors in the Welcome To Darwin website dealing with significant wartime sites . This drew a zero response-no statement by anybody in authority, no question in the Legislative Assembly in a building on the site of the post office which was bombed with the loss of 10 people , no apparent remedial action.
Back in the 1920s , when the cenotaph was made by a Sydney monumental mason , it was discovered on arrival here that there were spelling errors in names or wrong initials or incorrect ranks in those listed on the plinth. Prompt action was taken to rectify this. Some 90 years later, Darwin dithers when it comes to corrective action. Welcome To Darwin continues with its spelling errors in the guide to war sites.
In what is repugnantly referred to as Darwin’s “brand bombing ”, plans are being made for a large 2012 70th anniversary of the attack on the city with many visitors from overseas, including Hawaii. Wonder if the new US ambassador to Australia noticed that Aussies can’t spell when he attended the latest bombing of Darwin anniversary ?
