By Casey Neill
A Noble Park bridge will soon be named in honour of the region’s war veterans.
The Heatherton Road overpass at EastLink will become known as the Gippsland Regiment Bridge.
Former Dandenong mayor and retired army major Kevin Walsh led the charge to make the name happen.
“In 1993 I was the guard commander for the Royal Victoria Regiment Guard to Villers-Bretonneux in France,” he said.
“I was the mayor of Dandenong. I was trying to find a link somewhere between Dandenong and Villers-Bretonneux.”
Mr Walsh found that the 52nd Battalion – known as the Gippsland Regiment – took part in many battles in France including the now famous battle of Villers-Bretonneux on Anzac Day in 1918.
“After the First World War the Battalion was re-raised as a part time/militia battalion in Victoria and named The Gippsland Regiment and had its headquarters in Dandenong,” he said.
He said it was amalgamated with the 37th Battalion in 1930 and sent to New Guinea during World War II.
Mr Walsh thought a tribute 100 years on from the battle of Villers-Bretonneux would be fitting.
He’ll be in France himself to mark the anniversary.
“I led the lobbying for EastLink. That’s why that bridge was on my radar,” he said.
“To me, it was a logical place to have it.”
He was hoping to unveil the name on 25 April but will instead plan a grander commemoration around Remembrance Day or the 75th anniversary of the 52nd Battalion assault on Fortification Point, New Guinea, in December.
Dandenong Cranbourne RSL Sub-Branch president John Wells supported Mr Walsh’s project.
“Large parts of the regiment were based at Dandenong drill hall,” he said.
“The naming of the bridge would bookend the Dandenong CBD with the Peace Memorial Bridge over the Dandenong Creek.
“This would also mark in a permanent way the Centenary of the Armistice.
“We feel as an RSL that really the centenary of the First World War has passed without anything permanent being done.”
