Legacy torch of honour

TOWNSVILLE’S proud standing as a military city is well documented and as Anzac Day approaches each year, an intense level of planning is undertaken to ensure our fallen and serving ADF members are given the recognition and honour they deserve.

April 25 this year will mark

100 years of the incredible work carried out by Legacy in the service of those who have sacrificed for their country.

In honour of that work, the Legacy Torch Relay will start in Pozieres, France, and travel 50,000km over six months visiting 100 locations, including Townsville, carried by up to 1500 torch bearers.

The Townsville leg of the relay is on May 27 with the torch finishing its journey in Melbourne on October 13.

Legacy’s committment is to support the partners and children of those who have given their lives in service to Australia.

One family is that of Legacy widow Meri Shelley whose husband Ken lost a battle with cancer last year.

Mrs Shelley moved to Townsville from Cairns to be with her husband just as the city was caught in the Covid lockdown.

“By the time the lockdown had been lifted Ken had been diagnosed with cancer and could not be immunised so we were cloistered again because nobody wanted to come home and bring anything to him,” she said.

“So that was my life for the last couple of years then all of a sudden he’s gone.

“I am in a new town where I don’t know too many people.”

But Mrs Shelley said Legacy has helped bridge the social gap and when the call came for Legacy Torch Bearers she did not hesitate to sign up.

“I am really proud of my husband, he was Irish, and he immigrated here and got citizenship directly to join the army,” she said.

“So I am very proud of that.”

She encouraged the Townsville community to support the relay when it comes to the Garrison City next month.