MORNINGTON RSL hosted a stirring Remembrance Day ceremony at Memorial Park, Thursday 11 November.
Official guests, Health and Aged Care Minister and Flinders MP Greg Hunt, Mornington MP David Morris, the mayor Cr Despi O’Connor and Cr Anthony Marsh, watched as MC Allan Vidler read the Lord’s Prayer and conducted the service before about 150 guests.
Bugler Joseph Tobias played the Last Post and The Rouse, and Piper Lindsay Burgess played a lament while the names of the fallen from Australia’s two world wars and the Vietnam and Korean wars were read out by Valerie Wilson OAM. Ms Wilson has written a book detailing the biographies of the 120 Mornington men who fought in World War I: The Names on the Mornington Honour Roll 1914-1918: Who were they?
Colin Fisher recited In Flanders Field and president Allan Paynter recited Binyon’s Ode.
Wreaths were laid by the guests: Mr Hunt for the federal parliament; Mr Morris for the state parliament; Crs O’Connor and Marsh for the shire, Ms Wilson for the Korean veterans and member Rod Young for the Vietnam veterans. The RSL’s Keith Bubble manned the flag pole.
Amalia Foy, the granddaughter of Mornington RSL president Allan Paynter, sang the Australian and New Zealand anthems because, as Colin Fisher said: “We are both Anzacs”.
Lest we forget.
Pictures: Yanni.
First published in the Mornington News – 16 November 2021
