Graduating soldiers march past Kapooka Commanding Officer Colonel Tim Stone. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
The twenty-first of May marks the 80th anniversary of the Kapooka Tragedy, Australia’s worst army training incident, which occurred during World War II.
A live explosion training exercise went wrong at what was known then as the Royal Australian Engineers Training Depot, killing 26 people.
Three days after the explosion, more than 7000 people showed up in support while 200 returned servicemen formed a solemn guard of honour.
Colonel Gerard Kearns, Senior ADF Officer and Commandant of 1 RTB, said the Riverina and Wagga community were a pillar of support for everyone involved in the tragedy.
“The Riverina community was there 80 years ago to embrace the small Army community through a horrific training accident. Today our Army family stands stronger for this community’s support to the Khaki legacy from World War II to our newest soldiers,” he said.
Wagga Wagga City Council will rename streets in the Special Activation Precinct in Bomen, as a tribute to the lives lost in the blast.
The first road to be renamed will be Merino Road, which will become Pomeroy Drive in honour of Sergeant Herbert Pomeroy, one of the two instructors who died in the tragic event.
“Wagga Wagga has a proud and enduring connection with the Australian Defence Force community,” Wagga Mayor Dallas Tout said.
“Honouring these fallen service members in such a lasting way is a profound privilege for our city.”
Two new roads have been named Cousins Road and Linthorne Road, after Corporal William Cousins and Sergeant Ronald Linthorne, who also lost their lives in the blast.
The road naming ceremony today (21 May) began with an Acknowledgment of Country, led by Uncle Hewitt Whyman, Kapooka First Nations elder and army vet. He spoke about the cultural, historical and emotional significance of acknowledging the land and the lives lost.
Many veterans and army personnel call Wagga and the Riverina home, and Cr Tout hopes this tribute will convey the community’s respect for the lives lost in the tragedy.
“The Army and RAAF have long been part of life in Wagga Wagga and the Riverina, with many personnel and veterans calling this region home,” he said.
“This tribute ensures that the names of those who served – and our deep respect for those who lost their lives in the Kapooka Tragedy – will be forever woven into the fabric of our community.”
Head of Corps for the Royal Australian Engineers Brigadier Mick Say called the tribute a “fitting way” to remember the lives lost and honor the connection between the ADF and Wagga.
“The loss of 26 sappers during the Kapooka Tragedy remains to this date the Australian Army’s largest loss of life in training and had a significant impact on the Corps of the Royal Australian Engineers,” he said.
“This tribute to honour the fallen sappers is a fitting way to remember their sacrifice and demonstrates the strong and long-standing connection between the Corps, Army and wider ADF community with the city of Wagga Wagga.”
The ceremony was also attended by Riverina MP Michael McCormack, Wagga MP Joe McGirr, Colonel Roger McMurray from the Australian Defence Force, and members of the Pomeroy, Cousins and Linthorne families.
