Air Force commemorates peacetime sacrifice
Attendees gathered at the South Australian Aviation Museum (SAAM) to witness the Dedication and Inaugural Commemorative Service of a new Air Force memorial – an enduring tribute to aviators who made the ultimate sacrifice in peacetime service.
CAPTION: A relative of Flight Lieutenant Ross Frayne – a World War 2 and Korean War veteran who died in a crash at RAAF Base Mallala in 1955 – places a poppy on a commemorative wreath at the new Air Force memorial at the South Australian Aviation Museum. Story by Group Captain Greg Weller.
This significant memorial is the result of a collaborative initiative between the Air Force Association (South Australia), SAAM and RAAF Base Edinburgh.
The memorial is dedicated to those who perished in Air Force aviation accidents in South Australia or were members of RAAF Edinburgh-based units.
It aims to connect more meaningfully with contemporary veterans and the broader community, ensuring their stories are remembered.
At the heart of the memorial stands a large rock bearing a plaque listing the names of both ground and aircrew lost in 13 separate accidents spanning from the 1950s to the 1990s.
Behind the rock, a Nomad aircraft propeller – donated by 601 Squadron, Australian Air Force Cadets – rises as a symbolic centrepiece.
The propeller holds particular significance, commemorating Flight Lieutenant Glen Donovan, who died in the crash of Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) Nomad A18-401 in March 1990.
Among those honoured are 23 aviators, including a Defence civilian who died in a 1956 ground weapons incident at Woomera, and a 492 Squadron maintainer who lost his life in 1988 while preparing a P-3C Orion for flight.
Commanding Officer ARDU Wing Commander Dougal Dow delivered the keynote address.
“Together, these elements create a poignant tribute to the aviators who served our nation and made the ultimate sacrifice in peacetime – allowing us to remember them: Then, Now, Always – ensuring their memory will endure for generations to come,” Wing Commander Dow said.
A particularly moving moment came with the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Flight Lieutenant Ross Frayne’s death.
Flight Lieutenant Frayne died when his Air Trials Unit Meteor crashed on take-off at RAAF Base Mallala on September 16, 1955.
His image was featured in a special commemorative wreath, upon which attendees placed rosemary and poppies before it was laid at the memorial by two Air Force cadets.
More than 10 members of the Frayne family attended, including his sons and daughter-in-law. His son, Quentin Frayne, recited the poem High Flight in a heartfelt tribute.
Wing Commander Dow concluded with a reflection that resonated deeply with all present.
“In the future, we may face challenges that require us to show the same fortitude and character as those commemorated here,” he said.
“Let us reflect on the aviators remembered by this memorial – their sacrifice and their legacy. May it nurture us, helping us prepare for what our nation may ask of us in the future.”
The new Air Force memorial at SAAM stands not only as a place of remembrance, but as a powerful symbol of service, sacrifice and enduring legacy.
It is planned that an annual commemorative service will be held at the new memorial, honouring those military aviators listed on the memorial’s plaque, ensuring that those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in peace are also not forgotten – Then, Now, Always.
CAPTION: Chaplain Patrick Garton speaks at the Dedication and Inaugural Commemorative Service at the new Air Force memorial at the South Australian Aviation Museum.
.
.
.
.
