A TREASURED memorial plaque, dedicated to four Bayside National Servicemen, has been stolen from its location in Manly just a month before Anzac Day.
The plaque, which has stood for nearly 16 years, commemorates the lives of four young men who lost their lives in service to their country.
Bayside National Servicemen’s Association President Wayne Norris expressed his dismay over the theft, which was discovered on Monday afternoon by a local jogger.
The jogger notified one of the association’s members, who confirmed the news in a community group chat.
“It was a bit of a coincidence because we were going to get it refurbished because of the saltwater damage over the years,” Mr Norris said.
“We initially thought it was taken away to get fixed, but then we established that wasn’t the case.”
The memorial, located near Darling Point in Manly, was on a stone monument and featured a brass plaque.
“The man who put it there 15 years ago said it was too hard to take off,” Norris said.
“But somebody managed to take it off.
“They must’ve done it with a crowbar.”
The memorial honours four national servicemen – Kenneth Gant, Raymond Kermode, Ian Kingston and Joseph Ramsay – drafted to serve in the Vietnam War.
A total of 287,000 Australians were called up for the Navy, Army and Air Force between 1951 and 1972.
The four men commemorated on the plaque were all aged in their early 20s when they made the ultimate sacrifice.
“All four national servicemen lived in the Bayside area, and I think there’s some Redland Bay connection to them too,” Mr Norris said.
“We have an association, the National Service Association Bayside branch, and we look after the plaque.
“It’s also where we hold our service for Anzac Day.”
The theft of the plaque, just a month before Anzac Day, has left many members of the association deeply disappointed.
“It’s hard to think that someone would steal it just for some brass, you know, to make some quick money,” Mr Norris said.
“You wouldn’t think that someone would steal something like that for a couple of dollars, but you don’t know what their motives are.”
Despite reporting the incident to the police, Mr Norris said there was little they could do without CCTV footage or forensic evidence.
“There’s not much the police can do unless somebody comes forward,” he said.
In the meantime, Mr Norris is hoping someone in the community might have seen something unusual.
“You would think that someone would’ve noticed something strange, like a car parked nearby with tools,” he said.
“It’s just before you get to Manly, between Manly and Darling Point, and there’s no parking spots nearby.
“So, someone would’ve had to park their car there at night.”
Despite the setback, the Bayside National Servicemen’s Association remains committed to honouring the four men remembered on the plaque.
“We just look after each other and try to keep the memory going for these guys, you know,” Mr Norris said.
“We’ll keep trying to raise awareness and make sure these men are remembered, especially at a time like this, just before Anzac Day.
