Commemorative speech: Katrina Trevethan & Cate Walker

Australian Remembrance Army founders / Friends of Lutwyche Cemetery Inc. Management Committee members

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Katrina - Distinguished guests, serving and retired members of the Australian Defence Force, representatives of veteran organisations, families, friends, and members of our community — welcome. My name is Katrina Trevethan. On behalf of the Australian Remembrance Army and Friends of Lutwyche Cemetery, thank you for joining us. We warmly acknowledge and welcome the descendants of the veterans honoured today. Your presence reaffirms our commitment to remembering those who served, who returned to civilian life, and who often carried the lasting burdens of war injuries and trauma. While many assume the Australian Remembrance Army is a large organisation, in reality it is just the two of us—united in purpose and wholly dedicated to this cause.

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Cate - My name is Cate Walker. We gather here this morning on this sacred ground in the ANZAC portions at Lutwyche Cemetery to honour and remember 162 veterans who served Australia during the First World War, and whose graves are now marked with a plaque in recognition of their service. These 162 veterans are part of a Federal Government “Marking First World War Private Graves” grant we received in 2021, covering 709 World War One veterans buried at Lutwyche Cemetery. We received a further grant from the Queensland Government’s “Queensland Remembers Grants Program” to complete the installation of 149 of these plaques. 547 plaques were previously unveiled in two ceremonies held here in Lutwyche Cemetery in 2023.

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Katrina - Earlier this year, we received further grant funding from the Federal Government “Marking First World War Private Graves Grants Program” to mark the graves of an additional 84 World War One veterans in Lutwyche Cemetery. In total, the number of World War One veterans’ graves we will have marked with a plaque in Lutwyche Cemetery will reach 793. As part of our ongoing research into Toowong Cemetery, we are currently preparing a grant application to honour hundreds of World War One veterans resting in unmarked graves there.

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Cate - Most Australians are unaware that our returned services personnel who were honourably discharged are not automatically entitled to a government issued headstone or plaque at the site of their burial or ashes interment. They must meet criteria set by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, or the extended criteria of the Office of Australian War Graves. These official graves or sites of official commemoration such as those at Gardens of Remembrance are maintained by the Office of Australian War Graves. As a result, large numbers of veterans who survived their service were interred without official recognition. In addition to this project in Lutwyche Cemetery, more than 100 First World War veterans we submitted to the Office of Australian War Graves for assessment have been accepted as Official Commemorations. Their graves will now be marked and maintained by the Office of Australian War Graves in perpetuity.

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Katrina - For too long, these graves lay unmarked, their stories lost to time and their sacrifices at risk of fading from our nation’s memory. But through our personal research, and with the assistance of Federal and State Government grants, we have been able to restore their names to our collective history. Each of the 162 plaques unveiled today and each flag placed at their grave represents a life of service: a person who left home, family, and country to answer a call to duty. Many would return to Australia at the end of World War One forever changed. Others would find peace only here, in this cemetery. And while their names may not appear on grand memorials, today we affirm that every life given in service to our country matters — every story deserves to be told, and every grave deserves to be cared for. Today is not just about remembrance, but also about restoration of dignity and recognition.

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Cate – Over the past few years, we have examined hundreds of World War One medical files held at the Brisbane office of National Archives of Australia at Cannon Hill. A large number of these files were harrowing to read, and revealed the immense hardships endured by World War One veterans and their families. Numerous veterans were immigrants with no immediate family in Australia, while others had lost touch with family due to difficulties reintegrating after World War One. Today, many would be diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but this was not recognised or understood at that time. Following their death, some veterans were laid to rest in public or pauper’s graves. Others were quietly buried by families who, for financial, personal, or social reasons, were unable to provide a formal headstone or service plaque. Over successive generations, knowledge of their burial sites was lost, and as a result, many thousands of veterans—particularly those who served in the First World War—were never commemorated at their final resting places.

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Katrina – Our Lutwyche Cemetery research has also identified many Boer War veterans and approximately 250 World War Two veterans in unmarked graves in this cemetery. By our calculations, the number of Australian returned service personnel from all theatres of war buried in unmarked graves nationwide would be staggering—likely to be many tens of thousands. This is why small voluntary organisations like ours with the support of Federal and State government grants, are working to locate these forgotten veterans and mark their graves—restoring dignity by acknowledging their service at their place of interment and contacting descendants to ensure their stories are not lost to time. We believe that every person who serves our country, in war or in peacetime, deserves to have their resting place marked with a service plaque—a small but enduring token of gratitude from our nation. This, surely, is the least we can do to honour their service.

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Cate - We would like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to these wonderful individuals and organisations who have assisted us in the following ways:

• Retired Major Chris Moon who we have had the privilege of working closely with over the past four years to ensure that every detail on each and every plaque is correct. Although Chris and his wife Kay are currently overseas, we know they are here with us in spirit. Chris has also served as our Master of Ceremonies in the past, and we extend our gratitude today to his worthy replacement, Retired Major Rory Cain.

• Toowong RSL Sub-Branch, who have been steadfast supporters since our first unveiling ceremonies at Lutwyche Cemetery in April and September 2023. Their generous provision and delivery of marquees, lectern, and PA system on each occasion, along with their unwavering moral support to Katrina and I, have been truly invaluable.

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Katrina

• Councillor Danita Parry for your assistance obtaining a number of death certificates that we required for our most recent grant application.

• Worssell and Co in Brisbane for manufacturing the plaques, and Queensland Heritage Masonry for their expert installation.

• Mr Lachlan Carkeet, musical director Mr Graham Drane and members of the Pine Rivers Brass Band, and Bugler Mr John George. Thank you for your presence here today.

Cate

• Mr Robert Finlay and members of the Australian Living History Federation re-enactment group representing ‘A’ Company, 15th Battalion AIF.

• Brisbane City Council Cemetery Management who have assisted us since 2021 to make this process as streamlined as possible.

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​Katrina - To our fellow Friends of Lutwyche Cemetery members, we extend our heartfelt thanks to you all. Since our formation in 2021, you have volunteered alongside us to care for this important historic site. Your friendship, dedication, and support are deeply appreciated by Cate and I. Finally, we offer our gratitude to our husbands and families, whose unwavering encouragement and support has enabled us to undertake this ongoing project.

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Cate - In the spirit of sacrifice and remembrance, Katrina and I reaffirm our commitment to this voluntary project, ensuring that the service of our returned personnel is honoured and never forgotten.

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Katrina & Cate - Lest We Forget.

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