Caloundra
The memorial is a white stone slab with two plaques inserted at the front. A small sloped section exists at the centre base with an etching of an anchor. It sits on a white stone plinth with fence posts inserted into the concrete base and white chain joining each acting as a barricade. New plaques were added on 14 May 1993, the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Centaur.
On Centaur Day 2023 a plaque was dedicated by Chaplain Robert Heathwood of 23 Squadron Association, commemorating the rescue of the AHS Centaur survivors. The memorial plaque is dedicated to the memory of the servicemen of 71 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, and the United States Navy Destroyer USS Mugford, in finding and rescuing the survivors of AHS Centaur on 15 May 1943.
The inscription reads:
CENTAUR PARK
THIS PARK HAS BEEN DEDICATED BY THE ROTARY CLUB OF CALOUNDRA TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE GALLANT MEMBERS OF THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY NURSING SERVICE, AND THE MERCHANT MARINE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE SINKING OF THE HOSPITAL SHIP CENTAUR.
AT APPROXIMATELY 4.10 A.M. ON FRIDAY MAY 14th 1943, THE CENTAUR WAS TORPEDOED BY AN ENEMY SUBMARINE SOUTH EAST OF CAPE MORETON. OF THE 332 PERSONS ON BOARD ONLY 64 SURVIVED.
MAY THEY REST IN PEACE
The Story of the Caloundra Centaur Memorial
The Caloundra Centaur Memorial stands tall on the headland at Wickham Point in Centaur Park with the sea in the background. The Memorial was built by the Caloundra Rotary Club for the 25th Anniversary of the Centaur sinking, 1968, and was the first Centaur Memorial of its type in Australia.
Vince McCosker, a Centaur survivor who organized Centaur Commemorative Services in Brisbane in the 1950’s and 1960’s, was invited to join the Club gathering in recognition of his endeavour to have a Centaur Memorial built. Vince had lobbied all levels of government and raised a great deal of money for a Centaur Memorial, and when there was no support from Governments of the day he donated the moneys raised to the then Centaur Nurses Association. The Caloundra Rotary Club acknowledged his efforts to have Centaur remembered and recognised, and invited him to join their gathering on Centaur Day 1968 at the Monument their Club had built for the 25th Anniversary of the Centaur sinking.
In 1994 the Caloundra RSL organized a Memorial Walkway to be constructed in front of the Centaur Memorial, and Centaur Families were given the opportunity to have a family remembrance plaque installed on the walkway. The walkway has since been extended to include all theatres of war but the walkway immediately in front the Memorial remains reserved for Centaur families.
Caloundra RSL organized and conducted Commemorative Services on Centaur Day for the next 28 years (1994 to 2022) with the exception of 2020 when the Service was cancelled due to COVID. However, on Centaur Day 2020 four Centaur families placed flowers at the Memorial while observing the regulation distance separation from each other.
The Caloundra Commemorative Service features Caloundra School Children placing a flower on each Centaur Walkway Plaque, the Caloundra Coast Guard placing a wreath at sea, a traditional photo of attendees in front of the Memorial, and light refreshments at the conclusion of the Service.
The original Centaur Memorial Plaque showed the Centaur sinking as being 10 miles east of Cape Moreton, in an area where the survivors were found, and when in 2009 the wreck was located 30 nautical miles east of the southern end of Moreton Island the Memorial Plaque had to be replaced.
On Centaur Day 1968 the Monument Plaque was still undergoing manufacture and the official unveiling of the Monument was delayed, taking place on 15th September 1968. This was a grand occasion in Caloundra with the Northern Command Army Band marching from Caloundra Central to the Monument, and the Premier of Queensland officially unveiling the Caloundra Centaur Memorial Monument in Centaur Park.
There were no official Commemorative Services held at the Memorial for the next 25 years, however, Centaur Survivor Vince McCosker’s family placed flowers at the Memorial every Centaur Day.
1993 marked the 50th Anniversary of the Centaur sinking and a public meeting was called in Caloundra to form a committee to organize a Centaur Commemorative Service at the Centaur Memorial on Centaur Day, 14th May 1993. The Service was an outstanding Community success and the Caloundra RSL Sub-Branch decided that the Centaur Day Commemorative Service should be a permanent event on their annual calendar.
Centaur sinking and the Caloundra RSL passed on the organization and conduct of the Centaur Day Commemorative Service to the Caloundra Rotary Club, who have since continued with this role as one of their community services.
Prior to the handover the RSL was investigating the upgrade of the Centaur Memorial, and Caloundra Rotary have continued with the task and have developed an upgrade plan.
The plan shows two low level side wings, the left displaying the ship AHS Centaur, and the right listing the names of the personnel who were lost and those who survived. The Centaur Monument is unchanged with the sea as background.
The project is at the stage of Costing & Contractors.
Keith Clegg
Son of Pte. Percy Clegg, SMS
Centaur Public School
Located at Banora Point in NSW, the school describes itself as a “living memorial” to those who served on the Centaur hospital ship. The school houses are named after Tweed identities Pte Les Moss, Pte Bill Lawson, Pte Basil Colefax, all 2/12 FA, all lost, and Sister Ellen Savage.
Each year on Centaur Day the school conducts a commemorative service in the school hall. Afterwards Centaur families, the school principal and student representatives make the journey to Point Danger to lay wreaths at the memorial.
The Moran Medal for Courage is awarded each year on Presentation Day to a student from each class who has shown courage both within the classroom and outside. It was endowed many years ago by Srs Mary and Frances Moran in memory of their brother Pte Jack O’Neill Moran 2/12th FA, who lost his life on the Centaur.
Secretary Jan Thomas initiated another after her father (Capt Hindmarsh SMS), called the Hindmarsh Medals for Courage and Endeavour. Twice a year those students who have worked hard at developing courage in their everyday lives have their efforts acknowledged in the Moran and Hindmarsh Medals.
Deception Bay
The memorial is a seat, poem on stand and temporary plaque dedicated to those lost on the Centaur.
North Stradbroke Island
North Stradbroke Island Museum
At the North Stradbroke Island Museum on Minjerribah, visitors can see a poignant piece of this history – one of the ship’s stretchers and discover more about the discovery of the ship wreck.
Point Lookout
AHS Centaur Memorial (Cylinder Head), Point Lookout is a headland, small coastal town and locality on the eastern coast of North Stradbroke Island, Redland City, Queensland.
Point Danger
Coolangatta Centaur Memorial Park and Walk of Remembrance
A steel pyramid supported by a 15 tonne pink granite stone from Turallin near Millmerran on the Darling Downs.
The boulder symbolises the ecology, the pyramid represents the spirit of those who died in the Centaur sinking and the whole effect is of floatation. The tip of the pyramid can be removed to expose an oil fuelled lamp which burns on the night of the anniversary of the sinking.
Scrolls containing the names of those on board are also contained in the pyramid.
A Walk of Remembrance leads from the memorial to the cliff top.
The Centaur Memorial along with the USS Mugford Destroyer Memorial were unveiled on 14 May 1993, the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Australian Hospital Ship.
The Walk of Remembrance is dedicated to the memorial of the men and women who lost their lives in the forty-one Allied and Australian Naval and Merchant ships sunk along Australia’s coastline during World War Two.
It is planned to place a marker in the ground adjacent to the pyramid; this marker and the point of the pyramid will align with the site of the sinking.
