Military memorabilia apparently stolen from Buninyong cemetery

Military memorabilia appear to have been stolen from the Buninyong cemetery right before or on Anzac Day.

Two-dozen pieces of military memorabilia appear to have been stolen from the Buninyong cemetery right before or on Anzac Day.

Roughly five years ago, the Buninyong RSL set about identifying the graves of military men and women in the local cemetery so they could be marked on Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.

Those working on the project cross-referenced the names on headstones with honour board rolls, war enlistment details, and more.

By early 2022, the RSL had established nearly 100 graves of the 5000 or so buried in the cemetery were the resting sites of ex-service members.

The Friday before Anzac Day this year, 99 such graves were marked with tins and Australian flags, and RSL president Ron Fleming said he hoped the number would increase in time for November 11.

But on Monday, it was noticed about a dozen memorabilia were missing.

President Ron Fleming said the intention was the honour

“One of the dedicated team that’s working on that project went down to the cemetery on Anzac morning just to have a look and see and that’s when they noticed that there were 11 tins and 13 flags removed,” Mr Fleming said.

“Most of those came out of the older section, which is further away from the road screened by some of the trees.”

The RSL is interested in the items’ return to beneath the wreath hanging on the west gate of the cemetery; their restoration was, according to Mr Fleming, “the important thing” and would “give us a great deal of heart”.

“The thing that concerns us as an RSL,” he said, “is the act of remembrance is a fairly sacred activity and it shows the public that these people have served our country and sacrificed in many cases their good life when they came home.

“As a result of their services we enjoy the freedom to do whatever we want within the law of the land … that’s been bought at a price.”

Mr Fleming said taking the memorabilia was “a violation of the code of public respect to ex service men and women and common decency”.

“We believe in good faith we place them in effect a public space,” he said.

“We expected the public to honour that placement. We’re disappointed that the removal has taken place.”

The Buninyong Bakehouse Cafe said on social media it would return the items if they were dropped off at the shop.