It was remarkable to attend Anzac Day services in Stawell, Willaura and Ararat.
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For someone who lives in Melbourne but is lucky enough to spend time in regional and rural Victoria, what stood out to me was the community spirit.
It underlined the gravity of the day, when people of all ages stood silently to pay their respects and thanks to those who had fought and paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we can enjoy the liberties we do today.
To the people who shared their first-hand experiences of war, or those that had been handed down through the generations, thank you.
I met a man at the Willaura morning service who was part of the Allied Forces that successfully invaded Germany-occupied France on D-Day, and turned the tide of World War II.
He was 17 when he enlisted in the Royal Navy, in England – and while we can admire the men and women’s bravery and courage, I don’t think Anzac Day glorifies war, but rather reminds us that all other options should be taken to avoid it.
Irene Young, who led the Stawell parade put it perfectly: “Anzac Day is so sad, it was just a waste of human life, they were so young.”
The now 97-year-old was a nurse in World War II.
A younger person in the parade, an ex-cadet, said it was a honour to wear the uniform after all that had come before her.
And while some media personalities have criticised the reasons Australian troops were sent to an ‘imperial war’, I think about the stories my late great-grandmother told me about living under tyranny and fear in eastern Europe, and about being liberated from labour camps.
She had only respect for the Anzac legacy and was the proudest Australian I’ve ever known. She had her Australian naturalisation certificate framed and hung it on the wall among family photographs.
And it was not just on Anzac Day that your community spirit shone.
In my short time in your region, I have been amazed with how you look out for each other and the sheer number of community events you hold.
From the tens of thousands of dollars your communities raised for the Royal Children’s Hospital, to a church fashion parade to raise money so disadvantaged kids can go to camp and to a torch run to break down barriers for people with intellectual disabilities – you’ve all inspired me.