Last week we came together to mark one of our most important national
occasions, ANZAC Day.
April 25 marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by
Australian and New Zealand forces during World War I, when 16,000 of our
brave young men landed at what is now called ANZAC Cove on the Gallipoli
Peninsula in 1915.
By that evening, 2000 of these had been killed or wounded and by the end of the
eight month campaign, nearly 8,000 had lost their lives.
So each year, in commemoration of that battle and all others since, our
community unites to commemorate the ANZAC’s courage, sacrifice and the
families and loved ones they left behind.
Last Thursday, an estimated 2500 people gathered at the Karratha Country Club
for the Dawn Service which concluded with a march by returned and serving
members through the crowd.
The Roebourne Dawn Service commenced with a march along Roe Street
followed by a service at the Roebourne memorial obelisk, erected in honour of
the 142 men who enlisted from the district for service in the Great War and in
memory of 22 of them who were killed at the front.
Earlier this month, the Pilbara Regiment, government officers, family members
and friends gathered at Whim Creek for a memorial service to pay respects to the
five Lockyer brothers – Arnold, Edgar, Elbert, Elliot and Eric – who all served
their country in World War 2.
The strains of the Last Post and the solemn ceremony of one-minute’s silence
always brings deep reflection and contemplation of the debt we owe the men and
women, both past and present, who fought for our freedoms; and for the many
that still suffer today for their service to us.
Lest we forget.