Push for memorial to two men killed in sea mine tragedy on home soil
The granddaughter of Able Seaman Thomas Todd, who was killed at Beachport by an exploding German sea mine, is calling for a memorial to him and another man killed during World War II.
Aberdeen Seaman Thomas Todd and William Danswan, both killed by a German sea mine in Beachport in 1941, are being honored with a push for a permanent memorial in Port Adelaide. Despite the tragedy occurring on home soil, the story has remained largely unknown even to military historians. The Todd family, along with volunteers and friends, is now working towards a monument in Port Adelaide, where Able Seaman Todd was born and the two men lived near the naval base.
The incident, which marked the first deaths of Australians on home soil from enemy action, has been largely forgotten due to a media blackout at the time and the South Australian setting. Veteran volunteers and historians argue that the story deserves recognition as a national tragedy, with the current lack of memorialization seen as a national disgrace.
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