Allowing children to climb cenotaphs is an act of ‘senseless disrespect’ which left an armed forces veteran ‘horrified’.
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Beechworth RSL president John Eldrid, who served in the Royal Australian Air Force for 29 years, said people climbing atop Beechworth’s memorial to fallen soldiers was unfortunately common.
On Sunday, Mr Eldrid again witnessed children, aged about 12 or 13 years old, climbing the cenotaph.
He said as well as being a safety concern, the RSL viewed the act as disrespectful to their service and those who didn’t come home.
Mr Eldrid said society was less ready to chastise modern teenagers, but they needed to know their actions had an impact.
“How did I feel? I personally felt an emptiness, was my 29 years of service to this country all in vain?,” he said.
“Why should I question my service and loyalty because of this one senseless act of disrespect? No, I am very proud of my service and hope that others will think twice before allowing their children to climb on top of the memorial.”
Mr Eldrid said parents needed to help children understand the sacredness of the memorial.
He said the club did not want to have to erect a fence around the memorial but every time Beechworth had a public event, people seemed to think it was OK for children to climb the cenotaph.
“As an ex-serviceman I see it as disrespectful,” he said.
“For many men and women who never came home and their families … this is the only memorial, we have no graves for them.
“It’s a real concern for the RSL, and we have addressed the issue with council before.”
On Sunday, Mr Eldrid spoke to the teenagers atop of the cenotaph about what the shrine means and why it was important to respect it.
He said a parent apologised for allowing them to climb the cenotaph.
“I explained to them that their grandfather or great-grandfather probably went to war and thankfully they got down,” he said.
“Our biggest concern when young people climb on top of the memorial is that it’s very dangerous, it’s probably six feet tall or one foot wide at the top of a small platform.”
Mr Eldrid said the parents he spoke to were unaware the RSL saw the act as disrespectful and he wanted parents to keep their children safe and educate them to respect the memorial.
He said without education, they could be forced to fence off the memorial or erect a sign warning people not to climb the cenotaph.
“We don’t want to put a fence around it, we feel that detracts from what it is – it shouldn’t be a fortress,” he said.