Families, special guests, Veteran and current Service personnel took part in Anzac Services in Marburg Community Park and at the Rosewood Memorial Hall on Anzac Day to pay their respects and lay a wreath for their loved ones and for the Fallen.
The Dawn Service in Rosewood drew a record crowd of more than 500 people.
` Rosewood RSL President, Bernie Mason officially opened the Service, expressing his gratitude to the many families who made the effort to attend the service.
The opportunity to reflect on the sacrifice made by so many, was given to all community groups, organisations and families through readings and prayers before they were invited to place a wreath on the Soldiers’ Memorial.
It was an emotional Service and an emotional time for many, as the Last Post echoed around the memorial just before dawn.
Everybody was then invited to join the RSL members in the hall to enjoy a hot gunfire breakfast, tea and the option of coffee with a shot of rum.
Marburg community members were then invited to attend their Morning Service which was held in the community park and hosted by the Marburg and District Residents Association.
In Marburg, surrounded by Australiana monuments, a special welcome was made to all guests, followed by the Acknowledgement of Country.
Leading the national anthem, were school leaders from Marburg, Haigslea and Minden state schools who were accompanied by Julie Walker.
The New Zealand national anthem was then sung, followed by poetry recitals, stories of war and the reading of the names of the Fallen, before the playing of the Last Post and the One Minute Silence.
Keeping to the Anzac tradition, homemade Anzac biscuits were enjoyed accompanied with hot tea and coffee as families were invited to engage in local history in the Marburg Heritage Centre.
Rosewood then welcomed back the popular Anzac Day parade which was led by the Rosewood Police down the main street of Rosewood to the Anzac Park Memorial Hall for the morning service.
Spectators lined the street to watch the parade giving special acknowledgement to the members of the Rosewood RSL – some who marched and others who were escorted in Willy Jeeps.
A peaceful and inviting sound from Shirley Boughen playing the piano provided a welcoming feel as the participants in the parade joined their families in the Memorial Hall.
Traditional songs such as, God Save the Queen and Rock of Ages were on the program, along with the Australian national anthem, prayers, hymns, the resolution and Amazing Grace which was sung by Tahnee Baker Clark.
Rosewood State school and St Brigid Catholic school leaders read poems and the names of the Fallen were read by the Rosewood State High School leaders before the Last Post was played and a one-minute silence was recognised.
RSL President Bernie Mason closed the service, and said he was absolutely taken aback by the amount of support that the Rosewood RSL had received through donations and voluntary assistance from local community groups and organisations.
“The generosity from all who have supported us is very much appreciated, the RSL is happy to be able to provide both services to the community today, and the response has been amazing,” he said.
“Thank you to everybody who has made our Anzac Day commemoration so successful, it has been a wonderful time to reflect and to pay our respects together to those servicemen and women, both past and present, who made and who continue to make the ultimate sacrifice.”
