Wahgunyah residents marked Anzac Day on Tuesday, April 25, with a commemorative service that brought together students, veterans, ADF members, volunteers, and families of descendants.
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This year marked the 108th anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand soldiers on Turkey's Gallipoli Peninsula during World War
It was a heart-warming display of unity and remembrance, with around 200 people gathering in and around Memorial Park to pay their respects to the brave men and women who served their country.
A welcome addition to the service was the Latchford Barracks Catafalque Party, and the Sing Australia choir.
Hosted by the Wahgunyah Progress Association and coordinated by the Corowa RSL Sub-branch, the event was a testament to the community's unwavering commitment to keeping the spirit of Anzac Day alive.
The ceremony began with a large procession of proud participants marching down Foord Street, including Wahgunyah Primary School students and Country Buddies Childcare children.
The students from Wahgunyah Primary School played a pivotal role in the proceedings, underscoring the importance of passing down the lessons of sacrifice and courage to the younger generation.
The School Captains, Summer McNamara and Felix Seears, delivered a beautiful prologue that honoured the residents of Wahgunyah whose names are embossed on the cenotaph.
They also remembered those who gave their lives for the cause of freedom and encouraged everyone to prove worthy of their sacrifices.
“Today we gather to honour those who were residents of Wahgunyah and whose names are embossed on this cenotaph because they made the supreme sacrifice for our freedom and that of all people.
“We also remember those whom we do not know but who gave their lives so that we may be free to gather here today.
“Like our young men, their final resting places are spread across the world, some in the desert of the African continent and the Middle East, some in the fields of Europe, some in the jungles of the tropics, some in the oceans, many among grateful friends; all remembered and honoured by people whose freedom they restored.
“We remember also those men and women who left their homes with the same dedication and selflessness and who returned, many of them bearing mental and physical scars sustained in the fight for our freedom and the lifestyle we so often take for granted.
“We remember more recent times when service men and women have laid down their lives in the defence of people’s freedom.
“May we and our successors prove worthy of their sacrifices.”
Following Summer and Felix’s address, the Sing Australia Choir performed "God Bless Australia," a stirring rendition that captured the solemnity of the occasion.
The choir also performed the Recessional before the Anzac Day Address and the National Anthem at the conclusion of the commemoration.’
The ANZAC Day address was delivered by Catherine Nugent, a descendant of Wahgunyah soldier Anthony Edward Dunn. In her moving speech, she highlighted the bravery and sacrifice of the soldiers who fought for their country and urged everyone to remember their legacy.
Following her address, floral tributes were placed on the cenotaph, and bugler Joanne Howe played "The Last Post," followed by a Minute's Silence, the 'Reveille,' and the singing of the National Anthem. Corowa RSL Sub-branch President Martin Magill presented books to the children of Wahgunyah Primary School, a gesture that underscored the importance of educating the younger generation about the significance of Anzac Day.
Mr. Alan Pleitner, who thanked the Corowa RSL Sub-branch for their assistance, bugler Joanne Howe, and Sing Australia for their contribution, closed the ceremony. He also expressed his gratitude to Indigo Shire Mayor Sophie Price and the large Wahgunyah crowd for attending the event.