Two parks in the Southern River Business Park will be named to honour four local residents, who served their country and their local community.
City of Gosnells Acting Mayor Adam Hort said it was a privilege for the City to recognise the contributions of the four people, who were now deceased.
“This is an excellent opportunity to acknowledge the valuable contributions made by these four local people, and to ensure their memories live on,” he said.
Webster Park will be named after the late Private James (Jim) Clifton Webster, of the Australian Army’s 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, who was killed in action on 21 February 1967, during the Vietnam War, aged just 22.
Petersen Park will be named after late World War II veteran Charles Amos George Victor (Vic) Petersen, his late wife Merle Constance Petersen (nee Swan) and their late son Phillip Petersen. The three family members were all actively involved in a number of local groups and organisations for many years.
This week Cr Hort joined North Metropolitan Region MLC and former City of Gosnells Councillor Pierre Yang, members of the Gosnells Sub Branch of the RSL and representatives of the Webster and Petersen families at a commemoration at the Gosnells War Memorial.
Mr Yang had presented petitions to the City, requesting that Private Webster and the Petersens be recognised.
Private Webster grew up in Orange Grove and was a passionate sportsman, playing hockey, football and cricket. He was called up for National Service in the first ballots before being sent to Vietnam, where he started as a rifleman, and was then transferred to the medical corps as a stretcher bearer.
Vic Petersen served with the 2/11th Battalion of the Australian Imperial Forces during World War II, was a Prisoner of War, and later an active member of the Gosnells Sub Branch of the RSL, where he served as Secretary for 10 years. Vic was a member of the Southern River Progress Association, Southern River Bush Fire Brigade, Gosnells Cricket Club and Bowling clubs. He worked for the Gosnells Road Board (later Shire, Town and City of Gosnells), until his retirement in 1978, when he became a volunteer bus driver for the Addie Mills Centre for local seniors.
Merle Petersen served in the Civil Defence/National Emergency Service during World War II, where she communicated with soldiers on service, including Vic, who would later become her husband. She was also a member of the Southern River Progress Association, All Saints Anglican Church in Gosnells, the Anglican Mothers Union and Gosnells Country Women’s Association.
Phillip Petersen, a long-term Telstra employee, was a recipient of the national Emergency Services Medal for his many years of voluntary service to the State Emergency Service, including his contribution as local manager of the Gosnells SES, as well as SES units in Mandurah and Karratha, and as a ministerial appointee to the SES Volunteer Advisory Committee. Phillip also volunteered for other organisations, including Scouts, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, community radio and the World Rally Championships.
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