Anzac Day 2008
The number of wreaths and floral tributes increases each year and their laying was once again very moving and the highlight of the service. The support for the Dawn Service continues to increase with the numbers almost doubling to around 250 people attending. Pastor Dan Nugent from the Christian Family Church conducted the service.
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 soldiers’ 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.
Numbers at the march and main service were the biggest ever as well.
Poet Russell Plunkett’s very stirring and emotional presentation of his “Tribute to Sacrifice” was very well received by all and there was hardly a dry eye to be seen anywhere. Anzac Day this year coincided with the 90th. anniversary of the Battle of Villers-Bretonneux. Critical to the war effort, the recapture of this small village to halt the major German offensive west into France was a victory that has been described as perhaps the greatest individual feat of the war. On the 25th April 1918 two Australian brigades drove the Germans out and re-secured this small village, establishing a new front line and marking the end of the German offensive in the Somme. Unfortunately 1200 Australians died saving the village and every year since, an Anzac Day ceremony is held in the small village of Villers-Bretonneux and this year for the first time a dawn service attended by 6000 people was held.
A lot of people contribute to the success of the day and thanks go to Kevin and Margaret Sellin and Mr & Mrs Glusky who raided their gardens to supply the flowers for the floral tributes and the ladies who spent the afternoon putting them together, Pastor Daniel Nugent of the Christian Family Church for a moving service, Dale Tokley of 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, piper Ross Tulloch and drummer David Stark, Marj, Carmel, Joy and Allison and their helpers for providing the breakfast and luncheon, the Apex Club, the Dayboro Junior Rugby League Sports Club, the Rodeo Association and Bill and Jean Rowe for making contributions to cover costs of the day, Kevin Stubbings for supplying the transport jeep for the older diggers, Chris Giles of Healthy Lawns for maintaining the garden around the Memorial, the Scout group flag bearers, Kevin Taylor, Greg Miller and everyone who helped set up chairs, cook breakfast, erect tents etc, and any one else who helped make the day so successful and of course to every one who attended. It was very pleasing to have so many young people there again. This year the school captains from Dayboro, Shanae Houldon, Sam Knight & Sam Healy and Mt. Samson, Molly Hopsick & Georgia-Lee Chapman took a big role in the service. I have had so much positive feedback regarding this, hopefully this participation and more will continue. As I have said on Anzac Day, the younger generations have claimed ownership of the day and it seems more important to them than any other National day. Unfortunately local Lighthorse member Malcolm Stubbings was unable to participate with Warren Lambley this year.
Richard Hawkins
Numbers at the march and main service were the biggest ever as well.
Poet Russell Plunkett’s very stirring and emotional presentation of his “Tribute to Sacrifice” was very well received by all and there was hardly a dry eye to be seen anywhere. Anzac Day this year coincided with the 90th. anniversary of the Battle of Villers-Bretonneux. Critical to the war effort, the recapture of this small village to halt the major German offensive west into France was a victory that has been described as perhaps the greatest individual feat of the war. On the 25th April 1918 two Australian brigades drove the Germans out and re-secured this small village, establishing a new front line and marking the end of the German offensive in the Somme. Unfortunately 1200 Australians died saving the village and every year since, an Anzac Day ceremony is held in the small village of Villers-Bretonneux and this year for the first time a dawn service attended by 6000 people was held.
A lot of people contribute to the success of the day and thanks go to Kevin and Margaret Sellin and Mr & Mrs Glusky who raided their gardens to supply the flowers for the floral tributes and the ladies who spent the afternoon putting them together, Pastor Daniel Nugent of the Christian Family Church for a moving service, Dale Tokley of 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, piper Ross Tulloch and drummer David Stark, Marj, Carmel, Joy and Allison and their helpers for providing the breakfast and luncheon, the Apex Club, the Dayboro Junior Rugby League Sports Club, the Rodeo Association and Bill and Jean Rowe for making contributions to cover costs of the day, Kevin Stubbings for supplying the transport jeep for the older diggers, Chris Giles of Healthy Lawns for maintaining the garden around the Memorial, the Scout group flag bearers, Kevin Taylor, Greg Miller and everyone who helped set up chairs, cook breakfast, erect tents etc, and any one else who helped make the day so successful and of course to every one who attended. It was very pleasing to have so many young people there again. This year the school captains from Dayboro, Shanae Houldon, Sam Knight & Sam Healy and Mt. Samson, Molly Hopsick & Georgia-Lee Chapman took a big role in the service. I have had so much positive feedback regarding this, hopefully this participation and more will continue. As I have said on Anzac Day, the younger generations have claimed ownership of the day and it seems more important to them than any other National day. Unfortunately local Lighthorse member Malcolm Stubbings was unable to participate with Warren Lambley this year.
Richard Hawkins
