Digger’s honour stands solid
A FALLEN soldier has had his legacy cemented with a road near Robertson Barracks in Palmerston named in his honour.
Corporal Mathew Hopkins’s widow Victoria and their son Alexander attended the ceremony as well as friends, family and Defence Force members on the corner of Mathew Hopkins Rd and Thorngate Rd in Holtze.
Corporal Hopkins was serving in Afghanistan when he was killed while conducting a patrol near Kakarak when he and his team were attacked by a group of around 20 Taliban on March 16, 2009.
He was a member of the Darwin-based 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Mrs Hopkins said her husband would have appreciated the gesture.
‘‘This is just a truly fantastic day, I’m sure Mat is high up all chuffed about it,’’ she said. ‘‘Mat is never ever going to be forgotten, people are going to see Mathew Hopkins Rd, it’s going to cause curi- osity, they will look him up and find out the truly amazing person he was.
‘‘I don’t think words can express exactly how I feel about this, it blew me away that they would like to give recognition to this amazing man, and this amazing man is myhusband.’’
Defence Support Minister David Tollner said the naming of the road was fitting.
‘‘He gave his life for his nation and it’s the least we can do as a city that has such a great relationship with Defence people,’’ Mr Tollner said.