THE 70th anniversary of a peacetime aviation tragedy was honoured at the official unveiling of a permanent memorial plaque at Point Lookout on Friday.
Redland City councillor Peter Mitchell said the memorial would stand as a poignant reminder of the lives lost in the tragedy.
“The Netherlands East Indies aircraft was just 23 minutes into its flight from Archerfield on 26 February, 1947, when it crashed into waters off North Stradbroke Island, claiming the lives of all six men on board,” he said.
“The wreckage and bodies of the three Dutch servicemen and three Australian civilians who perished were unable to be recovered.”
Surviving family members of the men and representatives from RAAF, Redland City Council, Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, Dutch Club of Brisbane, Redlands RSL and the community were among those who gathered at the unveiling which featured a RAAF flypast.
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Cr Mitchell said council was happy to support the naming of the park, which was formerly a road reserve, NEI Dakota Memorial Park.
“It is important we acknowledge that for these families this is so much more than just a 70-year-old story. When that plane went down, taking with it the six passengers on board, six families grieved unimaginable loss,’’ he said.
“Never afforded the opportunity to lay their loved ones remains to rest, it is my hope that today’s park dedication ceremony goes some way to acknowledging these families’ grief.
In recognition of the anniversary, proceedings were followed by an official Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster III fly-over.
David Bell of the RAAF Base Amberley Scuba Club, who coordinated memorial efforts, said it had become a passion to commemorate the NEI Dakota after parts of the plane were found in 2003.
“This aviation tragedy and the wreckage that still lies at the bottom of the ocean has become a sort of folklore over the past 70 years, so to have this memorial as a reminder will help maintain the story and the memories of those lost,” he said.
Mrs Fay Barkwith’s husband Hotze Bekema died in the crash. She and her family funded the plaque.
She said although 70 years had passed, memories of the time were still fresh. “My two eldest children were just two-years-old and two-months-old when the accident happened,” Mrs Barkwith said.
“We returned to the island in December 2016 to celebrate my daughter Angenietje’s 70th birthday and we heard of the park being named.
“All the direct descendants of my husband are here today and it is a very special moment for us to be together like this.”
The NEW Dakota Memorial Park honours Dutch aircrew Eerste-Luitenant Hannes Smits van Burgst (pilot-observer); sgt-major H. Bekema (flight engineer); and Sgt E.L. Rookmaker (radio operator) and Australian passengers Victor Mole, Norman Dow and Christy Douris Bachadours.