A monument representing one of Australia’s bravest military actions has been vandalised less than a fortnight before ANZAC Day.
It was one of three plaques damaged earlier this month, including a tribute to a Swedish diplomat who saved the lives of more than 100,000 Jews.
The Charge of Beer-Sheba memorial in Melbourne’s Caulfield Park acknowledges a significant moment when Australia played an important part in securing strategic water supplies in what is now part of modern Israel.
The memorial was etched in both English and Hebrew.
Story Behind the ANZAC Monument
The town of Beer-Sheba sits within southern Israel and is a modern day academic, cultural and economic hub.
But in 1917 it was a strategic water source for the allied forces in the Middle East.
The Charge of Beer-Sheba was one of the last successful cavalry charges in military history and a key moment for Australian troops during World War I when they joined the allies in breaking through Ottoman defensive lines to the town of Beer-Sheba to reach its water wells.
Two regiments of the Australian Light Horse, around 800 riders, rode across kilometres of open desert, charging into gun and artillery fire armed simply with bayonets.
The riders surprisingly succeeded because the Ottomans were caught off-guard, causing many to fire their weapons too high or too late.
2nd Monument to Holocaust-era Hero Destroyed
Australian Jewish Association CEO Robert Gregory said the second monument commemorated Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who helped 100,000 Jews in Hungary during World War II, including Gregory’s own great-grandfather.
“It is shocking and deeply distressing that anyone could show such heartlessness in targeting them, especially so close to Anzac Day,” he told The Epoch Times.
“Sadly, some in our society show little respect for our history.”
Police Investigating
A Victoria Police spokesperson told The Epoch Times that detectives from the Moorabbin Crime Investigation Unit are investigating the thefts, which they believe were carried out on April 6.
“It is believed offender/s attended the park during the night and removed three brass service plaques from the memorial,” they said.
“No arrests have yet been made, however police are engaging with the local community.”
50 Incidents in Just 3 Years
The British Australian Community (BAC) has begun a campaign to track vandalism against Australian colonial or historical monuments, finding about 50 incidents in just three years.
BAC President Richard Harrison says the attacks are more than a coincidence.
“Despite the severity and frequency of these hateful crimes, arrests remain rare,” he told The Epoch Times.
“In contrast, when monuments of other cultural or religious groups are targeted, responses are swift—law enforcement pursues offenders, governments denounce them and pledge funding for compensation, and public figures plus the mainstream media loudly condemn the attacks.
“Selective enforcement and political indifference encourage vandals by sending a dangerous message: attacks on Australia’s national heritage will be tolerated.”
Harrison said the attacks often bore similar hallmarks, including the slogan, “The colony will fall.”
“This demonstrates an alarming level of Anglophobic hatred and this hostility has institutional backing,” he said.
“The Australian Human Rights Commission’s own published guidance states that white people ‘cannot experience racism.’
“When a government-funded body formally denies that hostility toward our community is even possible, it is unsurprising that vandals feel emboldened.”
Anyone with information on the Melbourne vandalism should call Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
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