news, local-news, anzac, vandals, corrimal, rsl, scab eater, graffiti

Heartless vandals have damaged Corrimal’s war memorial, knocking a large chunk out of one granite pillar and scrawling offensive graffiti on another. Corrimal RSL sub-branch vice-president Neil McLean discovered the damage on Saturday morning, just a day before the club’s annual Anzac Sunday memorial. Passing by to check whether the grass might need a mow before the commemorative event, Mr McLean quickly noticed a large amount of broken glass surrounding the monument. ‘‘I saw the glass and thought, well I can clean that up, but then I looked and saw that,’’ he said, pointing to the graffiti. Written in neat black handwriting, signed off with the letter A, are the words ‘Scab Eater’, followed underneath with ‘no tears for dead soldiers.’ According to their Facebook page, a punk band called Scab Eater played at the nearby Corrimal Hotel on Friday night. Mr McLean, a vietnam veteran, said the writing was offensive and disrespectful to every generation of Australian soldier. ‘‘I think the vandals are just the dregs of the earth to tell the honest truth,’’ he said. ‘‘There are no words for them.’’ Club treasurer Harry Bassett agreed. ‘‘All those guys who have died in Afghanistan, how do you think their wives would feel about this,’’ he said. Standing among the scattered broken glass of a Jim Beam bottle, complete with spirit pourer, and a large VB bottle, the men spoke of their disappointment and shock, which was magnified upon noticing a chunk missing from one of the granite pillars. ‘‘They’ve clearly never had to be in a concentration camp or prisoner of war camp, obviously they’ve never had any kind of adversity in their lives,’’ club welfare officer Ray Morgan said. Mr McLean had spent hours carefully preparing the memorial for Sunday’s ceremony, which this year will mark the Centenary of Anzac. ‘‘I was here for two days with the water blaster just cleaning up here,’’ he said. But, determined not to let the vandals get away with their low act, Mr McLean called police, who are now investigating the incident. He also planned to spend Saturday cleaning up the mess, including removing the graffiti, to ensure veterans were able to mark their day with the respect they deserve. Anyone with information is urged to contact Wollongong Police or CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000.

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