The Cross of Long Tan at the Australian War Memorial
Creative Commons
Author: Bidgee
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Long_Tan_Cross_on_display_at_the_Australian_War_Memorial.jpg
The Cross of Long Tan has been returned to Australia and will now be housed at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
The cross was erected by Australian soldiers in 1969 at the site of the controversial Battle of Long Tan, during which 18 Australian men were killed. It was the deadliest battle for Australia in the Vietnam War.
Long Tan cross dedication in Vietnam in 1969 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-06/long-tan-cross-dedication-in-vietnam/9231670
The original Long Tan Cross was loaned to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra in mid-2012. It was placed on display at the Memorial on 17 August, and was returned to Vietnam in April 2013.
The return of the Cross comes after the Vietnamese Government refused to host a 50 year remembrance service in 2016. The change of heart comes after months of lobbying by the Australian Government in the lead up to last month’s APAC meeting.
Director of the Australian War Memorial Brendan Nelson said that the Vietnamese Government had recognised the emotional significance of the cross to Australians. "It's a symbol of service, of suffering and remembering with love and emotion, the men who fought and suffered and the families who supported them," he said. "In the end, the cross, this place, it's not about war, it's about love and friendship."
To read more about this visit: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-06/operation-to-take-back-cross-of-long-tan-kept-secret-for-weeks/9231422
and: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Tan_Cross
© Nicholas Egan 2017