Gull Force Veteran:
Max (Eddie) Gilbert served with David, Eric and Fred Hutchins on Ambon Island. He was one of only 126 Australian prisoners of war to return home from the original 1200 strong Gull Force. The prison camp named Tan Tui held the highest death rate for all Australian's in Japanese POW camps during the Second World War (over 75%). Max and his wife Jan came up from Boronia in Victoria for the unveiling. Max is 1 of 15 survivors left from the original 126 that returned home from Ambon and Hainan Island. Max dedicates a lot of his time to talking with family members, who have lost loved ones.
Victorian Chief of Army representative, Colonel David Shields, summarised the service of the brothers, and the further 39,000 Australians who lost their life during the Second World War. “There is no greater love than to give up one's life for the love of a brother, as is clearly displayed in the sacrifice of this family – the greatest single family loss as a result of war in Australian History. In recent years we have never known anything but freedom, and it is to these men that we owe this.”
Sisters Memories: Myrtle Salau (left) and Mary Coburn spend a moment at the Memorial plaque dedicated to their brother’s service and sacrifice.
Unveiled:
As the two surviving sisters, Myrtle Salau (left) and Mary Coburn (right), unveiled the Memorial, their emotion was evident – it was a poignant reminder that time and separation does not weary a family’s love, nor a sisters’ longing for her brothers to return home. Watch the unveiling
Pictured:
With Myrtle and Mary, are Swan Hill Mayor, Garry Norton, and Colonel David Shields, who represented Chief of the Army, Lieutenant General Peter Leahy.
Finally set in stone
The Hutchins Family Memorial Plaque:
After all of the hard work, the memory of the seven Hutchins brothers is now set in stone. It is located in the peaceful Riverside gardens at Swan Hill in Victoria. The Granite rock stands approximately 4ft in height, and has a digitally printed 400mm X 300mm aluminum plaque. The idea for the Memorial plaque, and the design, came from Andrew Bruggy - pictured on left from the Swan Hill City Council and
When Paul was asked about the plaque, he said that it would not have been possible to have the Memorial erected without all the effort put in by Andrew Bruggy. Paul described Andrew as a true gentleman, and said he should be commended for all the time and work he spent on the Memorial.
Paul would also like to thank the Swan Hill Rural Council for their support, and the Lake Boga Quarry for their generous donation.
