• The post you are reporting:
   
  We will never forget that day.
  
  I was in Sydney and first heard on the television news.
  
  In those days it was difficult to telephone home so there was a hunt for change to feed the local call box in Coogie Bay.
  
  There followed numerous calls to parents back home checking whether there was any news of family and friends.
  
  The next day I went, as I had done daily, to the newsagents and brought a paper showing some of the awful photographs.
  
  I was oblivious to the surroundings when the newsagent tapped me on the arm and said 'Dollar, Mate' - he added that it what had happened back in my country was dreadful - I added that I'd never told him which part of that Country I came from and when I said Dover he was taken back. Every day after that he asked me whether I needed change for the telephone and whether I had news from home.
  
  Fortunately none of the family was on board the Herald that night but when we returned we started learning about acquaintances and old school chums who had not survived who the parents didn't know.
  
  The whole town was in mourning and there were weeks of funerals - a very sad time for the town and surrounding areas.
  
  I have only missed one memorial service and will definitely be attending this year on 6th March (I don't even have to look that date up - 6th March 1987 is etched on many Dover brains).
  
  The garden is an excellent idea and it has been a pleasure for me to work with our officers at Dover District Council in getting the arrangements in place in what has been quite short notice.
  
  Sue - as Chairman of the District Council have you been approached to officially hand over the plot on our behalf?

Report Post

Your Name

Reason