Remembering the Forgotten Heroes of the Korean War
Seven years ago, Debbie Munro’s father, Korean War veteran John Munro OAM RFD ED, asked her if she would consider taking over the Korean Veterans Association.
“He told me that if I didn’t it was likely they would have to close down the organisation,” Debbie said. “The veterans were well into their eighties, and I thought it was time for the next generation to step up and run the association and remember their service.”
As National Secretary of the Korean Veterans Association Debbie and her team of volunteers kept the organisation going despite COVID severely limiting the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War in 2020. Debbie Munro was determined that the 75th anniversary would pay tribute to the veterans in the manner they deserved.
Planning was underway by the Department of Veterans Affairs for a service at the Korean War Memorial in Anzac Parade, Canberra, but Debbie was afraid they may only get two veterans there.
“There is a misconception that the Korean veterans have gone,” Debbie said. “The Korean war has always been known as the forgotten war, and these veterans are still being forgotten.”
Debbie wanted to ensure that that every veteran who wanted to be in Canberra for the 75th anniversary would be there. Debbie knew that there were at least twenty veterans from across Australia, around half from Victoria, who would want to make the trip, the only question was how they were going to get them there.
“I was speaking with the Hawthorn RSL Sub-Branch President, Drew Maddison, about getting busses to take the veterans to Canberra when he asked who was going to pay for them. I half-jokingly said that I would pay for the busses myself if I had to.”
Drew asked Debbie to write a letter about the anniversary trip and sent it out around RSL Sub-Branches around Melbourne asking them to help. The letter asked for the support of the Sub-Branches, highlighting the advancing age and health of many of its veterans and their limited capacity to raise funds.
“This trip to Canberra is not just an excursion,” Debbie said in the letter. “It is a meaningful act of national remembrance. Without these carefully coordinated efforts, many of our veterans would not be able to attend. Your financial support would go directly to ensuring they receive the recognition they so rightly deserve.”
A few days later Debbie received a call from Lindsay Burke, treasurer of the Box Hill Sub-Branch, offering to pay for the cost of the busses for the veterans.
“I also asked who was paying for the lunches on the trip up,” Lindsay Burke said. “Debbie told me she was buying sandwiches herself which would cost around $500. We quickly convened an impromptu executive meeting of Box Hill Sub-Branch and decided to pay for the lunch as well.”
Debbie booked in the coaches with Quinces Coaches who cut their rate in half when they heard that it was for the veterans.
Debbie Munro and her team, which included the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council and the Melbourne Korean War Memorial Committee, gathered more than seventy people for the convoy to Canberra, including around twenty Korean War veterans, war widows, carers and the children of veterans.
The groups busses were decked out with a banner marking the 7th anniversary of the Korean War and acknowledging the veterans inside with the pledge that “together we will not forget”.
The service took place in freezing conditions, but the veterans proudly gathered at the Korean War Memorial in ANZAC Parade in the Canberra rain to remember those who did not return. They then attended an official dinner with the Ambassador and Melbourne Consul-General of the Republic of Korea at the Canberra Yacht Club.
“It is so important that we remember these veterans,” said Debbie Munro. “For too long they were overshadowed by the Second World War and Vietnam. Korea is known as the forgotten war, and these are the forgotten veterans.”
RSL Victoria thanks the Korean Veterans Association of Australia, the RSL Sub-Branches and RSL members who helped make this occasion possible. Most of all we thank the veterans for their service.
