For decades, Deb Filippone has held a worn, saucer-sized piece of dark metal in her palm—a stark and heavy reminder of the grandfather she never knew. The fragment of shrapnel is all that remains of a tragic piece of Australian wartime history that many have forgotten, but one family is determined to see permanently recognized.

In 1941, Able Seamen Thomas Todd, 30, and William 'Bill' Danswan, 23, were killed at Rivoli Bay in Beachport, located in south-eastern South Australia. They were attempting to decommission a German-laid sea mine that had washed ashore. The deadly explosion marked the first time Australians were killed on home soil by enemy action during World War II.

Eighty-five years later, a renewed community campaign is underway to build a permanent monument for the two brave sailors in Port Adelaide, where Able Seaman Todd lived and worked near the local naval base.

A Forgotten Sacrifice on the Home Front

While memorials exist in Beachport and Canberra, Port Adelaide—the home of the fallen sailors—currently has no public monument dedicated to their sacrifice. Even the South Australian Maritime Museum in Port Adelaide has nothing on public display regarding the tragedy.

"To this day, the tragedy remains little-known, even by military historians," Mrs. Filippone said. "When we think of enemy action on the home front, we think of the Darwin bombings and the Japanese mini-submarine attack on Sydney Harbour, but this is a story of national significance too."

Mrs. Filippone is spearheading the push to install a monument on the Birkenhead Naval Reserve or along the Port Riverfront, carrying on a mission her father championed until his death. She is joined by veteran volunteers, local families, and Megan Spencer, a contributor to Virtual War Memorial Australia.

Ms. Spencer, who co-produced a documentary series on the event, expressed astonishment that the story isn't more widely known, attributing its obscurity to wartime media blackouts and a historical bias toward East Coast wartime events.

"This story has fallen to the bottom of the ocean like a wreck, waiting to be discovered," Ms. Spencer said, calling the lack of local recognition a missed opportunity for the community. "No memorialisation is pro-war; it's about remembering."

The Tragically Fateful Day in 1941

During World War II, German ships laid more than half a million sea mines globally to disrupt shipping lanes, including along the southern coast of Australia. Dozens of these mines eventually washed up on South Australian beaches, including 12 near Robe.

The mine at Beachport was spotted floating offshore by two local lobster fishermen who towed it into the shallow bay. Todd and Danswan, members of the specialized "rendering mines safe" unit, arrived to disarm the device.

As a crowd gathered on the beach to watch, the decision was made to tow the mine further away for public safety. Suddenly, a rogue wave lifted the heavy mine, slamming it onto one of its own detonators.

The resulting blast was catastrophic. The shockwave shattered windows in Beachport homes and was felt in the town of Millicent, more than 30 kilometers away. Danswan died instantly in the sand dunes, while Todd succumbed to his severe injuries shortly after being transported to the Beachport township.

Council Cites Budget Constraints

Despite the historical weight of the tragedy, local government support for the Port Adelaide monument has stalled.

City of Port Adelaide Enfield spokesperson Ed Garner confirmed that the council recently elected not to move forward with the memorial project due to financial constraints.

"The costs of memorials, together with any costs involved in the renaming of a reserve, are unbudgeted," Garner stated, explaining that the proposal was put through the standard budget bid process but ultimately rejected.

Despite the council’s current stance, supporters of the memorial project say they will continue to advocate for the sailors, hoping the local government will reconsider the historical value of honoring those who gave their lives on local shores.