DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 053/10
Tuesday, 02 March 2010
Memorial Service for AHS Centaur
A memorial service has been held today to remember the AHS Centaur and her crew
at St. John’s Cathedral, Brisbane
Messages of remembrance were read by Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC
Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency Ms Penelope Wensley AO, Governor
of Queensland, The Honourable Kevin Rudd MP, Prime Minister of Australia and Mr
Martin Lesley Pash, AHS Centaur survivor.
The Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie laid a wreath at the service to
mark his respects to the fallen.
“This national service allows us to remember the lives lost and the contribution the
AHS Centaur and her crew made to this country.”
“We can finally know the resting place of these men and women and give them a
dignified farewell,” said Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie.
It was also poignant that current serving member, Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Keating
read a prayer for the bereaved and the seafarers.
Lieutenant Colonel Keating is the nephew of Sister Ellen Savage who was on board
the AHS Centaur when it was sunk.
More than 700 relatives and well wishers were present at the service. A large screen
enabled the public to view the service from outside the cathedral.
The service concluded with an Army bugler playing the Last Post followed by a
minutes silence.
Media Note: Still images will be available at
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: (02) 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
