380th Bomb Group Association World War II Veterans Group Newsletter #58 - July 2015

70 YEAR "MILADY" ANNIVERSARY EVENT

We had the ceremony at the site April 25, 2015, with some 30 people attending despite the fact the access track was flooded after some late rains. Small cars were left in the scrub and those with 4-w-d picked up the occupants.

The Northern Territory Government Heritage division replaced the interpretive signs recently and the area is being well maintained.

It was a great little ceremony in the early morning dawn with a minute's silence to remember the crew, broken only by a chorus from the local birdlife. It was quite a moving moment.

With the Anzac centenary celebrations pulling massive crowds, including all the US forces training in our area, it wasn't possible to get any USAF or Marines here. The RAAF did include us in the community flyover so that was pretty impressive. Unfortunately they were a whisker early and no one had their cameras at the ready when it happened. No second chance with F-18s.

The local Anzac organising committee is very keen to make the Milady ceremony a regular part of our Anzac Day. If any of your people are in Australia around April 25, we would love to have them pay us a visit.

Kind regards
Jack Ellis, Event Organization and
Co-author, "The Cox Peninsula During World War II"

Click here for a PDF copy of the "Milady" booklet prepared for the ceremony

1- Part of the ceremony framed by the wreck.

2 - The book launch and minute's silence. Jack Ellis is the one with the yellow polo shirt (far left).