Gunnedah held a small service on November 11 to acknowledge 100 years since the end of World War I.
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While many travelled to Tambar Springs for the main centenary events, a small crowd gathered at the Gunnedah cenotaph to lay wreaths and speak of Gunnedah’s involvement in the war.
The first nine recruits from Gunnedah were officially farewelled by Mayor Ald. T.H.H Goodwin at the post officer in 1914, according to In the Line of Fire. More than 150 enlisted locals did not return and at least 30 with no known grave.
The Gunnedah service was led by Ruth Clarke and RSL Sub-branch member Peter Ritter and students from Gunnedah South Public School, St Mary’s College, Gunnedah High School and Gunnedah Public School.
Gunnedah councillor Gae Swain represented Gunnedah Shire Council and Father John McHugh gave the address.
Fr McHugh said Australia paid an “extraordinary price for freedom and liberty”, but “peace isn’t just the absence of war”.
“It is a ‘tranquility of order' or state of well-being that comes from respect for the dignity and rights of both individual people and whole communities,” he said.
Fr McHugh said that peace is won by the price of Jesus’ love, which “awakens in the hearts of men and women of all nations the love for Christ”.
“Only when they all love Christ will they love each other,” he said.
The Alkira campus of Mackellar Care held a service on Friday.
READ MORE: Dying days of the war to end all wars