Hills communities remember the fallen

HILLS residents showed their respects for fallen soldiers yesterday (Tuesday) at dawn services in Cockatoo, Emerald and Gembrook to commemorate Anzac Day.

In Emerald for its inaugural dawn service, the RSL subbranch welcomed more than 150 people to remember those who lost their lives fighting for their country.

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance for not only those soldiers who lost their lives at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915, but also those who have since fallen in conflicts.

Emerald RSL subbranch vicepresident Steve Griffith said 150 people braved the cold biting five degree weather to pay their respects.

We expected 40 or 50 people for the dawn service, but we got 150 I have never seen anything like it, he said.

The Emerald Lions Club provided a breakfast for everyone who attended the dawn service. At 11am there was a full Anzac Day service and a wreathlaying ceremony.

Leading the service, Mr Griffith said the day was one of reflection on the sacrifices made by soldiers in all conflicts to help make Australia the free country it is today.

He said the Anzac spirit represented comradeship and mateship.

Today is not meant to glorify war but to remember those who gave so much, he said.

Subbranch member and retired Royal Australian Navy Commander John Dudley said Anzac Day was a special day for all of Australia.

He said from the smaller country towns to the city centres, Anzac Day was a time to remember those who died preserving Australia as the democratic nation that we all enjoy.

It is a day for those who served and those who wish to remember what happened, Mr Dudley said.

We must never forget what happened.

In Cockatoo, RSL subbranch president Bob Simonds said there was a muster of 70 local residents for the dawn service.

Mr Simonds, who has been subbranch president for 22 years, said the dawn service was growing each year.

Following the dawn service Mr Simonds lead the Anzac Day service at the towns cenotaph at 11am.

Reverend Peter Crawford was the special guest for the service, which followed a march down BelgraveGembrook Road.

Gembrook also celebrated the day with a dawn service and full Anzac Day service at the towns cenotaph for its 60th anniversary.