Australian Air Force veteran Ian Walker recently donated a model boat of the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee to the Mount Gambier 
RSL.

After building model airplanes for over 40 years Mr Walker decided to ‘have a bit of a change’ and try his hand at model boats.

He is a member of the TASK FORCE 72 Scale Model Ship Association Inc which is made up of fellow model boat enthusiasts from around Australia who build to a scale of 1/72nd.

In 1929, there was a famous battle between the Germans and the British off South America called the Battle Of The River Plate where the Admiral Graf Spee was damaged and scuttled into a neutral harbour the British could not enter.

The Germans were effectively isolated and captain Hans Langsdorff decided to take his own life rather than answer to Hitler.

The boat remains in Montevideo, Uruguay, where it is a navigation hazard.

Mr Walker said his donation was about recognising sailors of all nations who have fought for their country.

“I think it just represents an interesting story, it’s not about me, it’s about sailors from all around the world that have lost their lives in wartime,” he said.

“Earlier on this year, I got seriously unwell and with my hobby on hold decided to proceed with smaller models instead.

“I took the electronics out of the 2.7-metre-long model that propels it forward in the water and donated the boat to the Mount Gambier RSL.

“Where I live at Hallmont Estate there is a large pond 20 metres from my front doorstep, so I have got my own sailing lake to test out my boats which I put to good use.”