ANZAC Day 2020
With various restrictions in place due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this year’s Anzac Day could not be observed in the traditional manner but there were a good variety of ways by which families and individuals could have the playing of the Last Post and Rouse to accompany their own 2020 Anzac Day tribute.
Some members have provided photographs of how they observed this special day.
Branch Secretary Rob Petty and wife Ann pictured at their front gate together with Sean the bear.
Ann provided the following account of their 2020 Anzac Day morning :
Our Anzac Dawn ~ The Dawn broke not long after 6.30 am this morning in the year 2020 - on this ANZAC DAY the 25th April. My husband and I woke around 5.00 am to rise from our bed and ready ourselves for the coming service, a service that was being broadcast, to the nation, live from Canberra’s Australian War Memorial. One that would end, as is the custom, with the sounding of The Last Post at 6.00 am. So at 5.45 am, we now being rugged up warm, ventured out into the darkness to stand at our gate.
With wreath, flag and candles in hand we awaited the coming ‘bugle call’ and the ‘moment of silence and remembrance’.
To be standing now, on our street, in isolation, in the darkness with the rest of the nation was a very moving moment indeed. Covid-19 may have dictated how we honoured the fallen this Anzac morning but it has also now given us a new moment in history we should never forget.
To look through the darkness, up and down the streets and the cross streets to see the ‘lone candles flicker ’. All of us standing separately but together in quietness and in the blackness of the pre-dawn; how wonderful.
This Anzac Day dawn will definitely be one that must now go down into our history book, being the morning that the nation united and remembered uniquely together.
So thank you to all the men and women, down through the years, since 1914, for your lives given in service to your country, and to keeping us, truly the land of the free.....................Lest we Forget. Ann Petty
The following link is a Ballarat Anzac Day tribute led by WIN TV presenter Mr Bruce Roberts, the son of former
Ballarat Branch Air Force Association President Mr Tom Roberts OAM.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRE3wKSUibk&feature=youtu.be
In the gallery below you will see from left to right:
- Stan White pictured with his daughter Detective Senior Constable Mary White at their 2020 Anzac Day tribute
- Janet Bates’ grandchildren Ava and Henry remember their Grandfather LAC Reg Barker
- Janet Bates' wreath to RAAF No 1 Wireless Air Gunners School
- Junior Vice-President Peter Schoutens at his tribute
- Member Phillip Farnell with wife Patty at the entrance drive to their Wellwood Wallace Walnut Farm.
- Branch President Noel Hutchins at top of his drive. Yes ... same location as Member Phillip Farnell with wife Patty, both the Farnell family and Noel reside on the walnut farm. They used the tribute pre-recorded virtual Anzac service presented by Bruce Roberts. It was very black at 6 am at Wallace, no urban or suburban lighting around but a little ring-tailed possum joined them in their tribute.
- Mother and daughter members Heather Browning & Alicia Sinbeck’s driveway tribute
- Senior Librarian Stephen Brown with his Candle of Remembrance
Noel Hutchins
President Ballarat Branch
ANZAC Day – A Last Post Video Tribute
This ANZAC Day, in these challenging times of COVID-19 and in the absence of public events, the Air Force Association of Victoria will all be honouring our national day of commemoration in our own way.
The Last Post is a moment when we come together in silence to honour and remember those whose courage and sacrifice defined our nation.
We have prepared a short tribute to accompany the Last Post which you may wish to view via the link below.
Our thanks go to Peter Colliver, OAM for preparing this tribute.
Max McGregor
STATE PRESIDENT
