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Memorial boost for Comet Bay

Holly ThompsonSound Telegraph
Willow Russell and Dylan Bradford, Year 6, with Savannah Chambers, Year 3, Callum Chambers, Year 4, Andrew Chambers and Warnbro MLA Paul Papalia.
Camera IconWillow Russell and Dylan Bradford, Year 6, with Savannah Chambers, Year 3, Callum Chambers, Year 4, Andrew Chambers and Warnbro MLA Paul Papalia. Credit: Picture: Holly Thompson

A memorial which honours the different kinds of animals to have played a role in the Australian Defence Force has been donated to Comet Bay Primary School.

The memorial was created by Andrew Chambers, who is a parent in the school community and who also has family who were a part of the defence force.

Warnbro MLA Paul Papalia headed to the school last Friday to meet Mr Chambers and to officially unveil the work.

Mr Chambers, who is a welder by trade, said he loved to be creative and would be interested in doing more similar work in the future.

“I was approached by the school about the artwork, but was given free rein about how it would look,” he said.

“I designed it and put it all together, it took about two weeks. I do mobile welding as my work, but I love to do some creative work on the side.”

The idea for the memorial came from the school’s defence mentor Suzanne Waddell and art teacher Jacqui Thompson.

“All students participated in purple clay poppy making and visual artwork during term one for Anzac educational purposes,” Ms Waddell said.

“They learnt about the many roles that animals have played throughout Australian Defence Force history in wars and battle zones, through to modern day therapy animals supporting servicemen and women with mental health.

“This permanent memorial will join a service personnel memorial within the memorial gardens area of the primary school.”

Ms Waddell said there was 35 Australian Defence Force children at the school, who she supported at school during parental absence.

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