Inscription

Story

Author: David McDonald

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In memory of the 900 soldiers of the 2nd/3rd Austral­ian Light Anti-aircraft Regiment A.I.F. which was formed here in July 1940, by Lieut. Col. John W. Rhoden, to combat enemy dive-bombers which had been used to great effect in the German invasion of Europe in World War 2.

With the co-operation of Werribee citizens and race club members, Werribee Racecourse was selected as a training camp to facilitate co-operation with the R.A.A.F. at Point Cook and Laverton to enable members of the Regiment to practice identifying and estimating speeds of aircraft.

After five months training with inadequate equipment, the Regiment sailed to the Middle East.  In 1941 the gunners were in action in the siege of Tobruk with captured Italian guns, and in the battles for Crete, the Western Desert and Syria with Bofors guns, destroy­ing 88 enemy aircraft and damaging another 200.  The cost was high as 73 gunners were killed and 137 became Prisoners of War.

On its return from the Middle East, the Regiment had active service in Australia, New Guin­ea and Borneo

Dedicated on 24th September 2003

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