General News
29 April, 2019
Strong numbers pay respects
LARGE numbers again turned out at the Camperdown War Memorial on Anzac Day to pay their respects to those who served for Australia in wars.
LARGE numbers again turned out at the Camperdown War Memorial on Anzac Day to pay their respects to those who served for Australia in wars.
The 104th staging of the day was commemorated with the annual dawn and morning services in Camperdown.
Camperdown Returned and Services League (RSL) president Alan Fleming said it was a successful day in honouring those who have served the country.
He said about 400 people attended the dawn service.
“It was a really good crowd and there were a lot of young people there which was reassuring,” he said.
“It was a crisp morning and a lot of them then came along to lay a wreath at the Lone Pine before we then headed for breakfast.”
The morning service attracted more than 800 people, which started at the Boer War Memorial.
“We laid a wreath at the Boer War Memorial and then we lined up to march (to the war memorial),” Mr Fleming said.
“Once again we had good representation from schools, the fire brigade and service organisations.
“The number of kids there was really encouraging and the schools really get behind it, which is great.”
Mr Fleming said the march gave people the opportunity to view several crosses bearing poppies and the names of those on the war memorial which were planted along the avenue.
They were made by Camperdown College Prep to Grade 6 students under the guidance of teacher Dayle Smithwick.
“They looked really good when everyone was walking along the street,” Mr Fleming said.
“They were planted around 11 trees.”
At the war memorial, Mr Fleming conducted a ceremony which featured Mercy Regional College students Toby Mahony and Amy Kavanagh reading the special exhortation and Camperdown College pupils Annabel Lucas and Finn Tolland presenting the Ode and other readings.
Toby McKenzie and the Lakes and Craters Band performed the national anthems of Australia and New Zealand and several hymns and Bernie Dunn sounded the Last Post and Rouse.
Guest speaker Max Clark spoke about his grandparents’ involvement in World War I and his own military experience before wreaths were laid.
Military personnel and organisations laid wreaths along with representatives of the RSL, Corangamite Shire Council, schools, sporting clubs and local authorities, while others shared their own private tributes.
Mr Fleming said the poppy mat laid out on the war memorial behind the roses also gave greater significance to the occasion because it recognised those from far and wide who have served.
He said the mat was of great importance to the crowd because it showed a great diversity of people that are remembered across the nation.
“Because so many people come to the town over the years, there are so many people that have their own different memories of those who have served,” he said.
“There are often more names we’re remembering than the ones on the memorial, so it’s good that we’ve got this great diversity of people and their relatives and those they remember.
“Then after the service quite a lot of people picked up a poppy out of the ammo box and then put them into two leopard shells on the memorial.
“That also goes back to the poppy mat and people having their own private tributes.”
Mr Fleming said a good roll-up of people then ventured back to the RSL Hall following the service.
With the commemorations over, Mr Fleming expressed his thanks to several groups for their efforts on the day, starting with the 314 unit cadets from Warrnambool who provided the catafalque party for the main service.
He said the RSL was also “indebted” to the Lions Club for catering the day and their efforts in badge selling, which he said they did with the help of local businesses and volunteers.
Mr Fleming also thanked the police for their co-operation and the general public for their support of the appeal.
His last thank you was to the Corangamite Shire and the SES, with shire workers building the ramp at the memorial and then putting out road closure signs, which SES members manned during the service.