Elwynn Hepple Story

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=170 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="05ab9c03.jpg"> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>"To honor those loved ones perished at sea and to give comfort to those of us left behind"</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>Virginia Waterman's Memorial on the Eastern Shore </B> </FONT>    |</div> <div> <B><U>H</U></B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Virginia Watermans Memorial on the Easte"><U><B><U>ome</U></B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About us"><U><B><U>About Us</U></B></U></A><B>  </B><A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tales of the Sea"><U><B><U>Tales of the Sea</U></B></U></A><B>  </B><A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Art Contest Winner"><U><B><U>Art Contest Winner</U></B></U></A><B>  </B><A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Donations"><U><B><U>Donation</U></B></U></A><B><U>s</U></B><B>  </B><A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lost at sea"><U><B><U>Lost At Sea</U></B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact us"><U><B><U>Contact Us</U></B></U></A><B>   </B><A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Maritime Links"><U><B><U>Maritime Links</U></B></U></A><B>  </B><A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bulletin Board"><U><B><U>Bulletin Board</U></B></U></A><B>  </B><A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Guest Book"><U><B><U>Guest Book</U></B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ted Marshall"><U>Ted Marshall</U></A><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >   |   </FONT><A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rita Huttons Congressional Report"><U>Rita Hutton's Congressional Report</U></A><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >   |   </FONT><A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Harry S. 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Badran and Paul B. Warren, both members of the Norfolk Civitan Club were discussing the indident a few days ago later and both were indignant that such a brave sacrifice should go unrecognized.  They decided that something should be done to honor Elwynn Hepple and accordingly broached the matter at the next meeting of the Civitan Club.  The idea was received with a great deal of enthusiasm  and thus was born the Hepple Memorial Committee of the Norfolk Cicitan Club with Badran and Warren as Co-Chairman.  It was announced in the press that the Civitan Clun would see that Elwynn Hepple was given suitable recognition and the idea caught on like wildfire.  Not only did the United and Associated Press headline the story all over this country, but Reuters, and the British News Agency, picked it up and overnight the project gained worldwide recognition.</div> <div>      The Committee held several meetings to discuss ways and means and it was estimated that to secure suitable site, have the body moved and erect a suitable memorial, would cost in the neighborhood of ten thousands dollars.  However, the people of Norfolk rallied behind the committee, urging them on.  Members of the Committee went before the City Council with their story and  the City promptly agreed to donate one of the most prmient sites in the cemetery as the site for the memorial grave.  They also agreed to donate a concrete burial vault and a local nursery volunteered to landscape the site and plant suitable shrubbery.  The services of the V.F.W. Drum and Bugle Corpss and Rifle Squad were secured to render honors.  The only thing lacking was the monument itself.  The committee started an intense campaign to raise funds with which to purchase the monument.  They made their appeal over the radio and through the press.  Hundreds of letters were floated to various business firms and many committeemen were seen on the streets teeling the story to friends anf requesting donations.  Contribution began to roll in and finally the necessary amount was in hand and all arrangements completed.</div> <div>       October 30th was set for the dedication and on that date all Civitans and a large gathering of Norfolk citizens assembled at the cemetery.  The dedication ceremonies proved very impressive and will never be forgotten by Norfolk Civitans.  Charles J. Turrisi, President of the Norfolk Civitan Club made the opening address.  A reviewing stand had been erected and the monument, over nine feet tall, was draped with flags of the United States abd Australia.  Sound equipment was provided by one of the Civitan members and radio station WTAR was on hand to broadcast the ceremonies.  Invocation by the Reverend Paul Chaplin was followed by the words of thanks from the two Co-Chairmen.  The Honorable Richard D. Cooke, Mayor of Norfolk, made a speech of welcome to the dignitaries present.    The monument was dedicated  in the name of the people of Norfolk by the Honoroable Porter Hardy, Jr., Representative from the Second Congressional District.  The unveiling revealed a handsome granite monument over nine feet tall with the crossed flags of the United States and Australia carved near the top.  The entire sorty of Elwynn Hepple's bravery was inscribed on the stone and near the bottom was the following inscription "This monument was erected on October 20m 1948 by the grateful people of Norfolk through the efforts of the Civitan Club of Norfolk".  The unveling was followed by a salute by the Rifle Squad and the blowing of the taps by the Drum and Bugle Corps and the Autralian National Anthem.  The monument was accepted in the name of the people of Australia by His Excellency, the Honorable Norman J.C. Makin, Australian Ambassador to the United States who journeyed from Washington to Norfolk with several members of his staff for the occasion.  His speech was a stirring one and he declared. "This is a spot sacred to the people of Australia.  Australia and the world has been stirred by Elwynn Hepple's heroism and by the gesture of appreciation by the people of Norfolk."</div> <div>      The entire deedication was most impressive and in the hearts of the Civitans as they filed slowly away from the memorial grave was a feeling of satisfaction; satisfaction that they had done their bit to honor a brave lad who gave his life in a strange land that others might live.  This feeling was justified a few days later when an editorial appeared in the local pages commending the project and praising the Norfolk Civitan Club.  A letter was received from the Prime Minister of Australia in which he declared "The monument will stand not only to the memory if Elwynn Hepple, but will be a constant reminder of the warm ties of friendship existing between the peoples of our two countries."  The parents of Elwynn Hepple, who reside in Thirroul, Australia, has been kept informed of progress being made and many touching letters were freceived from them.  They were extremely grateful for the honors rendered their son, and if the projects helped in some small way to ease their sorrow the Civitan Club in Norfolk is indeed happy to have carried the project to such a successful conclusion.</div> <div> Edward N. Badran</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="09097e40.jpg" border=0 width="1175" height="1764" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>