Former Parkes man, Major Michael Mudie delivered the moving Centenary of ANZAC Address at the Dawn Service in Bogan Gate.
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As we meet here, at this bleak hour in the cold and dark of the 100th ANZAC Day dawning, I feel an overwhelming sense of pride.
Pride in what we have accomplished as a nation due to the sacrifice of so many who have come before us.
We meet here today, not to glorify war or to praise victors, but to remember those who have served our country during times of conflict and crisis, and to reflect upon their sacrifice.
I am in awe of the ANZAC generation, who were tested almost beyond endurance, and I have not taken lightly my duty to convey the significance of their service so long ago, and this remembrance here today.
When the first soldiers waded ashore at ANZAC Cove exactly 100 years ago, it was just one day and Gallipoli was but one campaign in a four-year war.
Described as the “war to end all wars”, Gallipoli played only a small part, yet it has shaped the Australian Nation like nothing else that came before or since.
From the grinding hardships and terrible sacrifices of the First World War emerged a distinctly Australian identity; being stoic in the face of adversity, having the courage of one’s convictions, and knowing the value of mateship - particularly when the odds are stacked against you.
The names on public memorials in virtually all our towns and cities remind us of the grief our young nation felt in those darker days.
From a population fewer than five million; over 400,000 enlisted; more than 150,000 were wounded; and 61,000 never came home.
Of those who served overseas, almost one in five died on active service and others came home carrying unseen wounds that would never heal.
I found an old photograph recording the dedication of this memorial in September 1922.
It shows rows of men and women dressed sharply and turned out neatly.
With flags flying and banners waving it records modestly that “Residents of Bogan Gate and District built this war memorial to honour those who fought and died for us”.
Yet these simple words belie the true price that had been paid. Individually and collectively, it was a sacrifice on an incredible scale.
Inscribed on this memorial alone are the names of 79 Australians who served in the First World War, and I am humbled by their stories:
Private Gilbert Wise was among the first to answer the call.
Enlisting in the 3rd Australian Infantry Battalion in the opening weeks of the war, he shipped out from Albany just two months later.
He survived the bloody ANZAC landing, fought in the attack on Lone Pine, only to be killed in action in the trenches of the Western Front in June 1916 - He was 24 years old.
Privates Ernest Pett and Archibald Cameron served together in the 53rd Australian Infantry Battalion.
They survived the disastrous Battle of Fromelles, only for Ernest to be killed in action a just few months later in August 1916 - He was 20 years old.
Archibald went on to spend the freezing winter of 1916 and 17 rotating in and out of trenches in the Somme Valley.
He was killed in action at the Battle of Polygon Wood in September 1917, a little more than a year after his mate - He was 21 years old.
Corporal Eric Magill enlisted into the 7th Australian Light Horse Regiment, which sailed from Sydney in late December 1914.
Initially considered unsuitable for the operations at Gallipoli, the light horse were eventually deployed without their horses in order to reinforce the infantry.
Eric died while fighting a defensive battle at the beachhead around ANZAC Cove in October 1915 - He was 22 years old.
These stories serve not to glorify war but as firm counsel to us all, to never forget the sacrifices of those who have gone before us.
As a veteran let me be the first to say that my greatest hope is that my children grow up in peace without fear of war, and never loose their faith in humanity.
Yet, the sacrifice of our ANZAC forebears reminds us there are some truths by which we live that are worth fighting to defend.
Each one lies as a silent witness to the future they have given us.
We honour them best by the way we live our lives and shape our nation.
We need to be vigilant that our Australian character remains one that values freedom, tolerance and a fair go for all.
Since the “war to end all wars”, each generation of Australians has had cause to step up for service in war, peacekeeping, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance missions.
The men and women of the Australian Defence Force have on every occasion served with distinction alongside our allies.
For my generation, war has rarely had a clearly defined enemy, nor has it been fought away from the communities that we have sought to protect.
We remember then, on this day those servicemen and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in both world wars, in conflicts in Korea, Malaya, Borneo and Vietnam, in peacekeeping operations and more recently in Afghanistan.
We remember those in combat; those imprisoned; those who nursed the wounded; those who stayed behind to sustain our nation; those who still suffer from the effects of war; those who are currently serving; and we remember their families who stand the long vigil at home.
We also acknowledge the bravery and commitment of those who served with other nations, whether friend or foe at the time, but who are united with us today in a common bond that seeks peace for the people of all nations, cultures, religions and creeds.
Each ANZAC Day we gather, as we shall always gather to honour everyday Australians from different walks of life who answered the call when the time came; and hope that we might find the courage in ourselves to rise to the challenge, as they did, should we ever be put to the test.
Let their example inspire the next generation to embrace the world as confident, compassionate people, carrying forward the ANZAC tradition of endurance, courage and a selfless determination to help one another.
Through our own dedication, ANZAC will continue to be cherished and remembered, and each new generation will understand and pay tribute to the price that has been paid by so many for the freedoms they enjoy.
By coming here this morning, by standing quietly and reflecting, we are saying that we have not forgotten and will not forget.
We will remember them.
Lest we forget.