~ Lest We Forget ~

Lest we forget the brave individuals who served and sacrificed their lives for our country. Today, on ANZAC Day, we honour their legacy and pay our respects to their service and sacrifice.

As a day of national remembrance, the stadium also recognises our close neighbours 42 for 42 – A not-for-profit organisation founded by ex-Army veterans whose aim is to help struggling veterans and their families building a memorial dedicated to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Located in the Southern side of Suncorp Stadium, the 42 for 42 Afghanistan memorial garden displays 42 commemorative plaques - each of the 41 that were killed has their own cast bronze plaque and another 42nd plaque is dedicated to all those that were killed in training or have taken their own lives.

The garden also pays tribute to the often unsung four-legged heroes, the explosive detection and special operations dogs that were killed on deployment. Each park bench around the garden is dedicated to the 4 recipients of the Victoria Cross for Australia and the fifth bench for Kuga, a dog that received the Dicken Medal - awarded for conspicuous gallantry by an animal serving with the armed forces.

Standing out in the garden is the wonderfully crafted memorial mural. Immersing individuals in the environment of Afghanistan, the mural pays tribute to those that have fallen with key elements of the ode, bushmaster vehicle, Australian flag, Australian defence force badge, red poppy, and traditional Afghanistan landscape.

The Stadiums strong partnership with 42 for 42 is best demonstrated by the 42-hour challenge they host here annually. During the challenge, teams of walkers carry weight in their packs as they walk around the stadium concourse continuously for 42 hours.

Susan Chuck - Secretary of 42for42 - has played a major role in the establishing the memorial garden and continues to be a wonderful contributor to all their great work. This week, Susan featured in an article with The Last Post Magazine, discussing her efforts with 42 for 42 supporting the families of fallen Afghanistan veterans as well as those who have returned from active duty.

To read the full article click here or check out her podcast interview to hear all about her great work.