BCOF Memorial

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British Commonwealth Occupation Forces Memorial

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The memorial takes the form of a semicircular stone wall in the top of which are garden beds and attached to which are 7 steel panels. To the west of the stone wall is a concrete wall to which are fixed 3 steel panels. A crazy-paved path leads from the concrete wall to the stone wall and in front of the latter is a circular pavement of dark grey stone quartered by inlaid steel strips.  In the north-west quadrant of the circle is an incised map of Japan with major cities marked by inlaid steel dots and named in incised letters in Japanese style lettering.

 

On east face of concrete wall - centre panel

This memorial commemorates those Australians who served with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan from 1945 to 1952

On east face of concrete wall - right hand panel 

Insignia of British Commonwealth Forces 

On north face of stone wall - 4th panel from left 

Insignia of Royal Australian Navy Insignia of Australian Commonwealth Military Forces Insignia of Royal Australian Air Force 

On north face of stone wall - 5th panel from left 

Australians served in the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan from 1945 - 1952 alongside British Indian and New Zealand troops.  By February 1947 more than 12,000 Australians had joined the force, stationed mainly in the Hiroshima Prefecture. The British Commonwealth Occupation Force helped the Japanese make the transition from war to peace. 

 

Information supplied by Michael Southwell-Keely

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