IT will be 101 years on Monday since Australian and New Zealand troops stormed the beaches of Gallipoli during one of the nation’s first forays in the deadly World War One conflict.
Although the tragic Gallipoli campaign has gained significant prominence in commemorations in the century since, four years of conflict were to follow.
This year marks the Western Front centenary of the Somme battle in France and Belgium.
The sacrifices in all conflicts will be recognised in commemorations across the district and across Australia on the 101st anniversary of the battle involving Australian and New Zealand troops, which gave us the acronym ANZAC for the important day of commemoration.
The focus will switch this year to remember the sacrifices on the Western Front. Almost 300,000 Australians served on the Western Front, taking part in every major British offensive between 1916 and the Armistice in 1918. More than 46,000 lost their lives, of whom about 18,000 have no known grave.
The dwindling numbers of war veterans will gather with families, friends and grateful citizens in pre-dawn darkness to start ANZAC Day commemorations.
District commemorations:
BARHAM and KOONDROOK will continue its tradition of hosting joint celebrations, with this year’s emphasis on the Barham Cenotaph.
A dawn service will be held at Barham’s major war memorial at 6am, with the annual march beginning at the Koondrook Hall at 11am. Participants will march through Koondrook and over the Murray River bridge, arriving at the Barham Cenotaph at 11.45am for a wreath laying and ceremony.
COHUNA’S commemorations will feature the unveiling of its new World War One memorial outside the Memorial Hall.
The town’s dawn service will be held at 6am, with a 5.45am assembly at the Cenotaph on Market Street.
The main commemoration parade will depart outside the Post Office on King Edward Street at 9.30am, before arriving at the Memorial Hall for a 10am service. Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh will unveil the new memorial before addressing citizens. Morning tea will be provided.
KERANG will start commemorations with the traditional dawn service at 6am followed by a traditional gunfire breakfast provided by the Lions Club of Kerang from 6.30am at the Kerang Memorial Hall.
The town’s ANZAC Day parade will begin at 10am from the clock tower, with participants marching along Wellington Street to Atkinson Park and the Kerang Cenotaph for a wreath-laying ceremony. The main service will follow at 10.30am at the Kerang Memorial Hall, with Anglican priest, Fr Simon Robinson the guest speaker.
Australia’s first female Major General, who was briefly educated at LEITCHVILLE, will return to her former home town on ANZAC Day. Major General Elizabeth Cosson, AM CSC is a public servant and retired Australian Army officer. Her grandparents were the late Herb and Sarah Hawken, who took over the Leitchville Post Office in 1918 after Mr Hawken returned from World War One. Her aunt, Jean Hawken, is the current manager of the post office.
Major General Cosson will be the guest speaker at the Leitchville ANZAC Day service at the Leitchville Memorial Hall at 11am.
The MURRABIT service will commence at 10am in the hall. The Federal Member for Mallee, Andrew Broad will be the guest speaker. The service will be followed by a march to the Cenotaph for a wreath-laying ceremony, before lunch at the recreation reserve provided by the Lions Club.
The 11.30am service at MYSTIC PARK will be addressed by former municipal librarian, Nerida Dye.
A service at QUAMBATOOK will start at 8am at the Guthrie Street memorial. Attendees are asked to assemble at 7.30am. A gunfire breakfast will be served by the Lions Club of Quambatook following commemorations.
• The Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service (VVCS), phone 1800 011 046, provides 24-hour free and confidential Australia-wide counselling and support to veterans and their families for war and service related mental health and well-being conditions.Veterans, their families and health care professionals can also visit at-ease.dva.gov.au for information about support available and online self-help tools.
