Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the day before Anzac Day at the Gardens Cemetery in Darwin we will dedicate the newly installed headstone of the grave of Territorian Cecil Ernest Northover MC. Cecil Northover served Australia in both world wars. He enlisted in Perth and fought in Gallipoli. He then he fought in the trenches of France and Belgium. He was awarded the Military Cross in May of 1918 for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty and for setting a magnificent example to his men.

Lieutenant Northover returned to Australia as a war hero but wounded in both body and mind. He suffered from his injuries and so did his family—his wife, Mable, and daughter, Betty. Cecil re-enlisted as a private soldier in 1941 when World War II came to Australia's shores and was posted to Darwin. He died in 1949 in Darwin, aged 54, and was buried in a grave that was only marked '1084'.

The lesson of Cecil Northover's life is that we must care for our serving and ex-serving military personnel and their families. I want to thank Mr Gary Gallagher and Mr Shaun Johnston for their advocacy to get this done and also Jack Hamilton and Lance Johnson for driving this initiative and the City of Darwin for their support. (Time expired)