THOUSANDS of residents throughout the Upper Hunter acknowledged the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month last Saturday.
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But, for some locals and students, including those at Sandy Hollow, Denman and Martindale, Monday was the opportunity to commemorate Remembrance Day.
“It’s a traditional service we host,” Sandy Hollow Public School principal Christina Darlington said.
“We invite community members, as well as servicemen and women, to attend the ceremony and a special morning tea afterwards.
“We’re thrilled to have Corporal Josh Long here [today] as well as Upper Hunter MP Michael Johnsen.
“In this area alone, we lost 31 soldiers – and the pupils lay a poppy for each of them.”
The “fallen” include James Ham (DCM – Giants Creek), George Easter (Baerami), HG “Harry” Ireland (Wybong), John A Gorrick (Widden Valley), Herbert Jones (Yarrawa), William Roy Purvis (Hollydeen), Archibald Cox (Giants Creek), George F Wilson (Baerami Creek), John J Morrissey (Denman), Harold J Ingram (Baerami), Norman Vincent Folpp (MM – Baerami), Patrick O’Sullivan (Denman), George Harold Munn (Denman), Reginald C Munn (Denman), Harold Selby Redman (Denman), Albert Edgar Fothergill (Martindale), Frank McCawley (Denman), Fredrick J Llloyd-Worth (Denman), Henry G Lott (Merton), Bertie Ernest Turk (Merton), Clarence H Stair (Gungal), Charles H Daniel (Gungal), Charles T Brown (Widden Valley), Arthur A Bramley (Wybong), Charles M Harris (Widden Valley), Ronald G Crisp (Denman), James V Ryan (Denman), James J Blockley (NZ – Denman), C Gibson, J Whitehead and W Willis.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Dan Tehan said Remembrance Day was a chance for every Australian to reflect on the lives lost to war and the service and sacrifice of our defence personnel.
“It marks the anniversary of the First World War Armistice in 1918 and is an important part of Australia’s history,” he said.
“At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the nation observes a minute’s silence for those who have died serving our country in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.
“More than 1.5 million Australians have served in defence of our nation and our values and more than 102,000 have died.
“On Saturday, we honoured all of them.
“Australia and France share an enduring relationship forged over a century of military service.
“The bonds formed on the First World War battlefields have strengthened over time and will ensure our continued cooperation in honouring our fallen service men and women.”
Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the First World War Armistice with a service in Villers-Bretonneux, France as part of the international commemorative program.
