Services mark 100th anniversary

Much larger than normal attendances are expected at Remembrance Day observances on Sunday, November 11 throughout Baw Baw Shire. The combination of this year’s commemorations marking the end of World War 1 – described at the time as “the war to end all wars” – and the date falling on a Sunday have local RSL officials preparing for strong numbers of people. Federal Minister for Veteran Affairs and Member for Gippsland Darren Chester is urging people to wear a red Flanders Poppy and observe a minute’s silence to remember brave Australian servicemen and women from wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations, including those serving overseas today. He said it was also a time to remember those that returned home carrying the scars of their service and the family members that cared for them. Most of the services in Baw Baw Shire will be on the Sunday although several of the smaller rural settlements will hold their commemorations on Saturday, November 10. Those unable to attend a service can pay their tributes to Australian servicepeople that served in World War 1 and subsequent wars, peacemaking and peace keeping operations by observing a minute’s silence at 11am on November 11. Preceding the Warragul and Drouin services on the morning of November 11 will be a memorial walk of about nine kilometres between the two towns organised by the RSL, local veterans, Member for McMillan Russell Broadbent and Member for Narracan Gary Blackwood. The walk will set off from the Drouin cenotaph and end at the war memorial in Warragul. The program of observances in Baw Baw Shire is:Sunday, November 11: Warragul – 11am at the cenotaph at the corner of Smith and Victoria Sts. Drouin – 11am, cenotaph at Memorial Park, Princes Way. Longwarry – 11am, war memorial corner of Bennett and Kennedy Sts. Trafalgar – noon, cenotaph at Trafalgar-Thorpdale RSL clubrooms, Kitchener St. Thorpdale – 10.45am, war memorial at Pioneer Park, Station St, including dedication of memorial plaques. Neerim South - 11am, war memorial in Main Neerim Rd. Darnum - 11am at war memorial at Darnum Hall. Narracan East – 9.30am, war memorial Narracan Connection Rd. Saturday, November 10: Aberfeldy – 8.30am, at cenotaph at Aberfeldy cemetery. Erica – 11am, war memorial at Erica Hall, School Rd. Hill End – 2pm, war memorial at Hill End Hall. Walhalla – 10am at Central Gardens, Walhalla. Willow Grove – 1pm: war memorial at Willow Grove Community Centre, Moe-Willow Grove Rd. There will also be wreath layings at war memorials at Jindivick, Neerim, Neerim East, Neerim North and Yarragon during the weekend. School services:Narracan primary school: Friday, November 9, 9.30am, School Rd. Trafalgar primary school: Monday, November 12, 1pm at cenotaph Kitchener St. Services which have an 11am start timewill begin about 15 minutes earlier with speeches leading up to the minute’s silence. Community members are recommended to start gathering at 10.30am.

It is used at commemorations throughout the year, especially on Remembrance Day – November 11 – the date of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War 1 in 1918 and at funerals of former service people. The poppy’s “fame” emanates from Canadian doctor Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae sighting the colorful poppies growing in battle scarred fields in Flanders, Belgium, in the northern Spring of 1915. They inspired him to write a poem, “In Flanders Field”, that has become famous, is recited at memorial services across the world and, after World War 1, was adopted as a remembrance of a fallen soldier.