June2014_Anzac Day 2014 Report

From around 0500, the park surrounding the Cenotaph quietly filled and was bulging by 0520 when the service commenced and dawn broke as a fog rolled in, the beginning of a perfect day.  The thought was that people were attending the Dawn Service in preference to the Main Service, but not so.  An enormous crowd turned out later in the day for the Parade and Service as well.

The Dawn Service has its origins in an operational routine which is still practiced by the Australian Army today.  The half light of dawn plays tricks with soldier’s eyes and from the earliest times, the half-hour or so before dawn, with all its grey misty shadows, became a favoured time for mounting an attack.  Soldiers in defensive positions were woken before dawn.  As the first dull grey light crept across the battlefield they were alert and manning their weapons.  This was, and still is known as “stand to” and is repeated at sunset.  After World War 1, returned soldiers sought the comradeship they felt in those quiet, peaceful moments before dawn.  With symbolic links to the dawn landing at Gallipoli at 4.29am. on the 25th  April 1915, a dawn stand-to or dawn ceremony became a common form of Anzac Day remembrance during the 1920’s.  Hence Anzac Day as we now know it was born to honour the men and women who died and suffered in defence of our country so we can live the lives we now lead in freedom, not to glorify war.

A lot of people contributed to the success of the day and thanks to Mrs Fealy and Mr & Mrs Glusky who raided their gardens once again to supply the flowers for the floral tributes and Margaret who spent the afternoon putting them together.

Our thanks also go to the following:

Richard Lance for both very moving services; 

Dale Tokley and Brisbane Bus Lines for supplying the bus and Maurice Weston for giving his time to transport people to and from the service;  

Harry Thompson for the bugle calls at both services;  

Pipers Rod Richardson and Tom McGirr;  

Drummer David Stark;  

Marjorie, Trish, Joy and Alison and all their helpers for providing the breakfast and luncheon;  

The Dayboro Lions, the Dayboro Junior Rugby League Sports Club, and the Rodeo Association for making contributions to cover costs of the day;  

Ben Smith from BES Acreage & Garden Services and caretaker Ian for maintaining the gardens around the Memorial;  

The flag attendants;  

Kevin Taylor, Greg Miller, David Pole, Neil Rowe and everyone who helped set up chairs, cook breakfast, erect tents etc;  

Dayboro Nursery & Garden Supplies for supplying the materials to smarten up around both memorials;  

and anyone else who helped make the day so successful and, of course, to every one who attended.  

It was also great to have so many young people there again and thanks for bringing your parents along.  Thanks also to the school representatives from Dayboro and Mt. Samson schools, Sam Elliot, Ella Fisher, Benjamin French, Tilva Gampe, Lochlan Harrop, Christian Hunt, Dayna Sweeney and Jacqueline Vincent  who participated in the service.  These young people are a credit to their schools and communities. Only a short 25 years ago we could hold our Anzac Day service in a one car garage and with no march at all.  It is often asked why the day has become so important to so many. Most of the credit for this must go to our younger generations who have claimed ownership of this day and it seems more important to them than any other National day.  The spirit of Anzac is certainly safe in their hands and will live on.  The very talented Dayboro State School band again supplied the music for the Service.  The number of wreaths and floral tributes increase each year and was once again very moving and the highlight of the service.  

Also thanks to the Lions and in particular Ian & Sue Flinders and Dan Nugent for producing the music and for supplying and setting up the P.A. system. 

Local poet and author Russell Plunket presented his poems The Homecoming and In 2015 and was again joined by Lighthorse member Malcolm Stubbings.  Thanks also to Mary and Colin McKavanagh who helped with the logistics of getting Malcolm’s horse and gear to the service.

Thanks also to the Scouts who came early to set up and remove the chairs and for tidying up around the Monument after the service. 

Many people asked what type of plane flew over this year.  It was an SNJ-4 used by the American Navy during WW2 and known as the Harvard by the R.A.F.  The Australian variant built in Australia was called the Wirraway.

The School Anzac Day service we are invited to attend each year was again very, very good.  It was a credit to the teachers and especially all the kids who all showed great discipline throughout the entire service.  Impressive.

The two-up at the Bowls Club was another great fun day and many thanks to Michael Flanigan from ME Property Sales for running the 2 UP.  Thanks to the Bowls Club and Terry Morley for supplying the raffle prizes and also to our 2 UP players who kindly donated their losses to the War Memorial Association.  The money raised will help with the upkeep of the Memorials and used to fund the 2015 Gallipoli landing anniversary.

Only around seven ex-servicemen and partners attended the annual Lions Diggers luncheon this year and we thank the Dayboro Lions Club for putting on this event.  Thanks to Nikki, Pam & Kathryn and the footy club for providing an excellent meal and venue and Patsy Cains for supplying the flowers for the tables.  The after dinner presentation was excellent and this year the guest speaker was Dr Nevin Colgrave.  During his army service, Nevin was deployed to Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011.  He was attached to the Australian Special Forces and Commando units as the Medical Officer and actually went outside the wire on operations with them.  He had a very interesting story to tell as do all the guest speakers.  All ex-service personnel are welcome to these luncheons, so keep it in mind for next year.

RICHARD HAWKINS CHAIRMAN 

DAYBORO WAR MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION.