Pause to salute our war heroes
ON the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month they gathered in quiet reflection, remembering those who have served.
The Johnstone Park Peace Memorial, Point Danger in Torquay, the Geelong RSL and the Leopold War Memorial were some of the venues they stood at with poppies and medals pinned to their chests.
Ernest Brough, a member of the Rats of Tobruk, was one who attended a service in Geelong for the 99th Remembrance Day.
His story of escape from an Austrian prison camp, through the icy rivers of Slovenia, embodies the Australian fighting spirit.
He fought in WWII, where he was taken prisoner and handed over to the Italian army before being passed on to the Germans.
At 22, he joined the army alongside his mates from country Victoria.
He was wounded at Tobruk in Libya and at El Alamein in Egypt, including on a morning in October, 1942.
Neither he nor his humanity died as Mr Brough piggybacked a badly wounded enemy soldier to German lines under heavy fire.
Torquay RSL head Ian Gilbank said many people worked tirelessly to ensure the local commemoration was “the best it could be”. “It’s an extremely important time for the community, especially those who had ancestors and family members make the sacrifice in the world wars and Vietnam,” he said.
“It’s about remembering their legacy, their sacrifice and paying our respects.”
President of the Portarlington-St Leonards RSL and Vietnam veteran Barry Smith said the poppy appeal always gathered massive support. “Every year it’s a team effort between us and the community. We get a great deal of satisfaction being able to help our veterans and ex-servicemen,” he said.