Large turnout tribute to enduring sacrifice
PROUDLY wearing her husband’s war medals, Helen Atfield paid tribute to her husband at the Cairns Remembrance Day ceremony.
She was among about a 200-strong crowd who gathered at the Cenotaph on the Esplanade for the service on Saturday.
Her husband, Corporal Kevin Atfield, served for 12 months in 1966/67 in Vietnam as a Royal Australian Engineer working closely with US soldiers.
“He never spoke about Vietnam,” Mrs Atfield said.
“When my husband came home he was not the same man.
“It was very important for the wives to understand their circumstances as well.”
He also spent three years in Papua New Guinea between 1970 and 1973 helping families to move to and from different postings.
Mrs Atfield, who is the Cairns Legacy Laurel Club president and also serves on the War Widows committee, said Remembrance Day was so important.
“Especially for the young children coming up now to realise what some of our ancestors have done through and sacrificed for them to have an enjoyable life,” she said.
The service commemorated HONOUR: Cairns Legacy Laurel Club president Helen Atfield wears her husband’s medals. the 99th anniversary of the signing of the armistice with British High Commissioner Menna Rawlings as guest speaker.
Cairns RSL Sub Branch vice-president Phil Warwick was impressed with the turnout, which included Welshman Clive Thomas whose son was killed in Afghanistan in 2014.
“He just happened to be out here and he came along to lay a wreath in memory of his son and that’s poignant,” he said.
“People shouldn’t forget that we’re able to live our lives as we do because of what’s gone on before.” Watch video from the event www.cairnspost.com.au