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Operation Wettenhall
Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) volunteers are in Western Victoria to help bushfire affected communities with recovery in The Grampians.
DRA has a team in the township of Pomonal to assist with clean up after bushfires swept through the area in February.
More than 45 local homes and properties were damaged or destroyed during the fires in and around Pomonal.
Volunteers will be based in Ararat and will spend at least four weeks on rotation in the area to help residents with various clean up tasks including chainsaw work and removal of bushfire debris.
Disaster Relief Australia is in Pomonal on Operation Wettenhall at the request of Emergency Recovery Victoria (ERV) to assist Ararat Rural Council.
In response to
February bushfires
Location
The Grampians, Victoria
View map
Status
Ongoing
Dates
8 Apr 2024 -
The Grampians bushfire recovery
Area of Operation:
Pomonal, The Grampians, Western Victoria.
The story behind the name
Pilot Officer Marcus Cedric Wettenhall (known as Cedric) was born in Pomonal, Victoria 5th March 1911, the son of Marcus Edwy and Leila Wettenhall of Rosedale, Victoria. He attended Melbourne Grammar School and subsequently became a barrister and solicitor. He married Ada Marion Wettenhall.
Pilot Officer Wettenhall served as an engineer 1928-29 before enlisting in the RAAF 23 May 1941 where he trained as a navigator. On 8 September 1943, whilst engaged in attacking an armed Japanese Merchant vessel, the Hudson aircraft of 2 Squadron was shot down into the Timor Sea near Tanimbar Island. PLTOFFR Wettenhall and two other crew were killed whilst two others bailed out, were captured and subsequently executed.
PLTOFFR Wettenhall is commemorated on the Northern Territory Memorial to the Missing located at Adelaide River War Cemetery, NT.
PLTOFFR Wettenhall is survived by his two sons.
Get involved
Planning for upcoming operational deployments is now underway. If you are keen to participate or find out more, express your interest today.