Hundreds of people gathered at the dawn service at the Gunnedah Cenotaph yesterday to remember those who have served.
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Prayers were offered by Salvation Army Corps Officer Captain Richard Day, with the crowd joining a small choir in a rendition of Amazing Grace.
In his Anzac Day address, Captain Day reflected on the fateful dawn of April 25,1915, when troops from Australia and New Zealand landed at Anzac Cove.
“Thus the Spirit of ANZAC was created,” he said.
“Facing artillery fire from the Turks, they tried to make it further on to shore, many lost their lives. Despite the circumstances the Anzacs found themselves in, and the ever-increasing number of casualties, bonds of friendship and mateship were formed that remain to this day.
“As we stand at dawn 101 years later, we gather together to thank them, to honour them and above all, to remember them,” Captain Day said.
“We remember that many were young men who wanted an adventure. They wanted to see the world … and they wanted to fight for their young country. Entire generations of families and of towns were lost in that war.
“And so we gather here this morning to remember. Of course, we also remember the sacrifice of the men and women for the sake of their loved ones and fellow countrymen from this country across the years since that first Anzac Day.”
Captain Day also remembered those who are serving their country today.
“So what is this spirit of Anzac that causes men and women to do such a thing – to give up their rights and privileges and for some, their lives?
“If you talk to many people, they would say that the spirit of Anzac is all about mateship, teamwork, dedication, and above all – sacrifice.
“For me, surely the Anzac legend, the Anzac tradition, the Anzac spirit is the spirit of sacrifice. According to the dictionary, sacrifice means: the giving up of a valued thing for the sake of another. Ultimately it means something that is more worthy than my own needs and desires.
“It means to lose something, to avoid a greater loss. Surely this is the underlying meaning of Anzac Day and why it is held so dear to us”.
The haunting Last Post was sounded by bugler Sammy Porter and drummer Lachlan King, followed by a minute’s silence and the Reveille as the first fingers of dawn filtered through clouds in the eastern sky and a single plane dipped its wings over the Cenotaph.
Gunnedah’s march and 11am service was also well attended, with an estimated crowd of up to 2000.
Gunnedah RSL Sub-branch secretary Kerry Bee officiated at the service which saw a solemn crowd gathered around the cenotaph.
Behind the cenotaph were rows of wooden poppies commemorating the fallen.
Anglican Minister Scott Dunlop gave the address, speaking about the words “Lest We Forget”, which came from the hymn The Recessional written in 1897 by Rudyard Kipling.
“The sacrifices that we remember today remind us to be humble and call us to honour those who served us,” Mr Dunlop said.
Many wreaths were laid by Gunnedah organisations and schools just ahead of the flyover.
Annerley Fitzsimmons from Gunnedah Shire Band sounded The Last Post.
Take a look at pics from the dawn service in Gunnedah and the Boggabri march and service here.
