50 years memorialising those who died in wartime service
Since its foundation half a century ago, the Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG) has held the solemn responsibility of establishing and caring for official commemorations of commonwealth war dead and eligible veterans laid to rest in war cemeteries, public cemeteries or commemorated in gardens of remembrance.
This important work provides the opportunity to honour and remember the service and sacrifice of veterans who die in war and provides commemoration for eligible veterans who survived their war services, but who later die from service-related injuries or conditions.
Over the past 50 years, OAWG has cared for 76 War Cemeteries and plots, establishing 10 unique gardens of remembrance, and providing more than 354,000 individual commemorative markers for war dead and eligible veterans in Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. The OAWG will continue to care for these commemorations in perpetuity.
This year, OAWG developed the 50th Anniversary Commemorative Rose ‘In Perpetuity’ to acknowledge and to continue to promote the work of OAWG and draw attention to the recognition of war dead and post-war dead Australian veterans. Commemorative roses in a military context are often red and OAWG developed a rose that would stand out as both different and fitting, settling on a deep orange rose.
During its flowering, the rose extends from light to dark but has a dominant ‘sun-burnt’ orange presentation reminiscent of an Australian sunset alluding to the Ode of Remembrance: At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.
The name ‘In Perpetuity’ reinforces the ongoing nature of remembrance, but also the work of OAWG in the perpetual maintenance of war cemeteries, graves and places of individual commemoration of our fallen.
We encourage the community to discover and appreciate the rich and often heartfelt history of those the OAWG has commemorated, welcoming all to share the stories of family members who may no longer be with us. You can do this by pausing to reflect when you visit one of Australia’s war cemeteries and gardens of remembrance – most are to be found in general cemeteries, capital cities and large regional centres.
To learn more, visit www.dva.gov.au/wargraves.