Guy Barnett,Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
Six young Tasmanians are embarking on a once in a lifetime experience as recipients of the 2018-19 Frank MacDonald Memorial Prize.
The high school students from across the state will participate in a two week study tour of the Western Front in France and Belgium, and will attend the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Australian ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Memorial, Villers Bretonneux.
The Frank MacDonald Memorial Prize aims to promote and preserve the meaning of the Anzac spirit in the Tasmanian community, providing an incredible opportunity for young Tasmanians to walk in the footsteps of Tasmanian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice over 100 years ago.
The trip provides an opportunity for young Tasmanians to link with veterans and gain a greater understanding of Tasmania’s rich military history and in passing on the history of World War I to new generations of young Tasmanians.
While on the tour, each student will visit a soldier’s gravesite or other significant site, and share the soldier’s story with the group.
The research completed by the students contributes to a greater understanding of the role of Tasmanians in World War One and is of significant value to all Tasmanians, ensuring the knowledge of the state’s war history is passed down through the generations.
The Frank MacDonald Memorial Prize is an initiative of the Tasmanian Government, supported by RSL Tasmania and administered by the Department of Education and the Department of Communities Tasmania. The Prize is open to Tasmanian Year 9 students from government and non-government schools, as well as home-schooled students in the same year level.
