By Derek Schlennstedt and Kath Gannaway
A MIX of young and old came together at Remembrance Day services across the Yarra Valley on Friday, November 11, to recognise the sacrifices made by Australian soldiers in World War I and those who have served and are still serving in the Australian Defence Force.
Friday marked the 98th year since the guns fell silent along the Western Front, marking the end of World War I.
At 11am on November 11, those gathered at memorials from Healesville to Yarra Glen, Marysville to Warburton and beyond to Wandin Yallock, fell silent too with a minute’s silence to remember and honour Australia’s fallen soldiers.
At Healesville, guest speakers included Glenn Mitchell, a captain in the Australian Army, and well-known Wandin poet Jim Brown who delivered a moving poem by C.J. Dennis titled “A Gallant Gentleman.”
At Wandin Yallock, Mount Evelyn RSL Vice-President, Jim Hurley, spoke saying Remembrance Day was not about the supposed ‘glories’ of war but about honouring the ideals of those who fought, and fight for, Australia and their determination to uphold them.
Newly-elected Yarra Ranges’ Cr Tony Stevenson, also spoke noting that many of those who went to war were fathers, husbands, brothers, sons and uncles.
Locally, he said they included farmers, blacksmiths and labourers.
“The loss of so many was felt deeply in our community and, sadly, some families and farms never recovered from their loss,” he said.
He observed that so many were only six or seven years older than some of the schoolchildren attending the service.
At Healesville, the service finished with the Healesville High School band performing a classic rendition of “It’s a long way to Tipperary”, colloquially regarded as ‘the song that won the war’.
