Rockingham Naval Memorial Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rockingham Naval Memorial Park |
|
|---|---|
| Australia | |
Looking south from the entrance of the memorial
|
|
| For World War II Korean War Vietnam War |
|
| Established | January 24, 1996 |
| Location | 32°15′44″S 115°44′43″E / 32.2622°S 115.7453°E |
| Statistics source: monumentaustralia.org.au | |
Rockingham Naval Memorial Park is a special place in Rockingham, Western Australia. It is a memorial dedicated to the Royal Australian Navy. This park helps us remember the brave people who served in the Navy.
The park has many special commemorative plaques. These plaques help us remember important events and people. You can also see a large gun from a ship and a part of a submarine here.
The memorial park was officially opened on January 24, 1996. Many groups helped pay for it. These included the City of Rockingham and the Australian and Western Australian governments. The Naval Association of Australia also helped.
Contents
The Rockingham Naval Memorial Park is a place to honor the Royal Australian Navy. It helps people remember the Navy's history. It also honors those who served in different wars. These wars include World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Parts of the Memorial Park
The memorial park has three main parts. There is a walkway with many plaques. You will also find the fin from the submarine Orion. The gun turret from the ship Derwent is also a key part.
The HMAS Orion Submarine Fin
_gun_turret,_Rockingham_Naval_Memorial_Park,_March_2020.jpg)
The Orion was a type of submarine called an Oberon-class submarine. It was one of six submarines used by the Royal Australian Navy. The Orion served from 1977 to 1996.
After its service, the submarine was taken apart. Its fin was placed here at the Naval Memorial Park. Another part, its propeller, went to the Western Australia Maritime Museum.
Special events are held at the Orion fin. In 2017, people remembered two sailors, Hugh Marcrow and Damien Humphreys. They were lost from another submarine, Otama, in 1987. Their bodies were never found.
In 2019, the first Australian Lost Submariners Memorial Service was held here. Over 200 current and former submariners attended. They honored all submariners who have lost their lives since 1967.
The HMAS Derwent Gun Turret
_QF_4.5-inch_Mk_I_%E2%80%93_V_naval_gun,_Rockingham_Naval_Memorial_Park,_March_2020_02.jpg)
The Derwent was a type of ship called a River-class destroyer escort. It served in the Royal Australian Navy from 1964 to 1994. After its service, the Derwent was sunk in the ocean near Rottnest Island.
But its large Template:QF 4.5-inch Mk I – V naval gun was saved. This gun turret is now at the Naval Memorial Park. It faces towards HMAS Stirling, a nearby naval base. The gun was placed here in June 1995, even before the park officially opened.
Commemorative Plaques
The Naval Memorial Park has more than 80 plaques. These plaques remember different parts of the Royal Australian Navy's history. They also honor its work during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Each plaque tells a unique story of service and sacrifice.
