Local war history proudly on display in Mossman
RSL
Anzac Day may have passed, but the Mossman RSL is keeping the Anzac spirit alive all year round.
Located in a small hall on Johnston Road in Mossman, the branch has amassed a huge collection of over 1000 pieces of memorabilia, paintings, books, replicas, and war equipment.
RSL Secretary Wally Gray welcomes the community to come and see the collection for themselves.
“Most of the items here have been donated by many different people over the years and we have somewhere in the vicinity of about 1000 pieces,” he said.
“When the current RSL committee took over in 2011, a lot of it was packed away in cupboards and draws and no one knew what it all was.
“So, we made it a project to sort it out and put it on display so that people could come and see it all."
Mr Gray said he is now working on a plan that would see the region’s students be able to visit and learn about the Shire’s war history.
“The final goal is to get all the schools around the district to come and visit and ask questions, learn and discuss.
“Not only on Anzac Day but any time throughout the year.
“The whole idea is to keep the memory of what our forefathers did and the sacrifices they made alive. That is the most important thing.”
On display are items such as old rifles from world wars, some with bayonets still attached, Morse code equipment, gas masks, water stills, army uniforms and hats, missiles, replica planes, a full library of rare war books, and much more.
There is also a display of service medals from many local war heroes.
Mr Gray’s own medals hang on the display from his time in Sinai on a peacekeeping mission in 1983 while he was an engine fitter in the Australian Air Force.
“I enjoyed my time in the Air Force, I worked mostly in helicopters and a range of different machines,” he said.
Mr Grey showed Newsport through the displays on show.
“This is a display of a lot of the aircraft Australia has used in wars and some that the British and America used too.”
In the display next to it there are rising sun badges that were issued to soldiers from the Boer War to the present day.
“Just about every serviceman wears them,” he said
Moving around the room Mr Gray points to more.
“Here is a piece of a bomb that exploded in Miallo in World War Two after it was dropped from a Japanese aircraft.”
Lining the walls are a huge collection of paintings and photographs, all in some way referencing Australia’s war history.
In the photo above, Mr Gray and RSL President Ron Savage stand with a SEACAT Surface-to-Air missile replica, a weapon used on warships between the 1960s and 1990s.
Outside the small hall, there is even more to see with a large mosaic feature wall designed by local artist Samantha Mathews.
“The rising sun represents the RSL, the Southern Cross, Australia, the poppies are for the war and the mountain range ties in the Mossman community.”
Next to this is a mural which was painted by year nine art students at Mossman State High school in 2012 honouring all the different defence force services.
Mr Gray encouraged anyone interested in viewing the collection to get in contact.
“The public is welcome to come and have a look because it is something that is not just for the RSL it is for all.
“If anyone wants to come and have a look around here, at any time all they have to do is give me a phone call on 0448686415, to arrange a time,” Mr Gray said.
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