ANZAC Day 2022 Went Well

 ANZAC Day at Tanunda went well.

Given that Monday was a public holiday during school holidays, we had an enormous turn-up at both the Dawn Service and the late morning Service after our march from the Tanunda Post Office to the Soldiers' Memorial Hall.

The highlight of the Dawn Service was perhaps an address delivered by a senior school student (image at left) from the local Faith Lutheran College. Given the age of the young man, his presentation was flawless, the content emotive and inspiring, and he didn't appear to be the slightest nervous.

After the Dawn Service, we held a Gunfire Breakfast that many people attended. Our bar volunteers served beer including large amounts of Coopers stout, a beverage that doesn't usually sell well during the rest of the year. 

Small amounts of Beenleigh rum made its way into coffee, a tradition on this special day.

The Gunfire Breakfast was also attended by a contingent of RAAF serving members who had participated as a catafalque party (you can see several in the image above) or supported them. 

Here they are outside our Hut. Those with weapons are obviously part of the catafalque party.

We appreciate and thank them for their service and hope that they will never be called upon to sacrifice their lives for their fellow Australians as many others have throughout the short history of our country.

We are so fortunate to live in a relatively free democracy with a decent standard of living and sound governance.

However, as the motto of the RSL states, "The Price of Freedom is Eternal Vigilance" which includes having a combat-ready defence force if we need it.

Lest We Forget

 "They shall grow not old,

as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun

and in the morning

We will remember them."

The Ode of Remembrance has been recited to commemorate wartime service and sacrifice since 1921.

The Ode is the 4th stanza of the poem For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon. The poem was first published in the British newspaper The Times on 21 September 1914. The poem later appeared in many anthologies of war verse.

In 1919, Binyon’s poem was selected to accompany the unveiling of the London Cenotaph and was adopted as a memorial tradition by many Commonwealth nations. The poem was read at the laying of the Inauguration Stone at the Australian War Memorial in 1929.

Acknowledgement: The Department of Veterans Affairs.

ANZAC Day Memorial Services

Mr Tony Pasin presents bottle of rum

This year once again we are holding our memorial services and march for ANZAC Day, next Monday.

Our committee members have been beavering away preparing all the minutia involved in organising such an important event in the RSL calendar and community. 

We are supported by various other community organisations and individuals including the Barossa Council and Federal Member for Barker, Mr Tony Pasin who every year gives us a large bottle of Beenleigh rum to share during our Gunfire Breakfast at the Hut. You can see him here handing this year's bottle to Treasurer Christina and Robin Henry.

It's a public holiday Monday and that may mean more or fewer people attend our two memorials on ANZAC Day. The first, held at the Tanunda Memorial Garden in Murray Street begins at 6:15 am.

At 10:15 am those marching assemble outside the Tanunda Post Office in Murray Street and march to the Soldiers' Memorial Hall (Barossa Gallery) in Basedow Road where a second service is held at 11:00 am.

Members and invited guests then meet at the Hut for lunch.

The next memorial event this year of course will be Remembrance Day on 11 November.

We hope to see you at one of our services on Monday.

Memorabilia Sales - Foodland Tanunda

A small example of memorabilia

On Tuesday, 19 April, and Wednesday, 20 April, our volunteers will be holding memorabilia fundraising stalls outside Foodland, Tanunda. 

This year we have a range of new memorabilia in which collectors will be interested. We also have some "electric candles" for those who prefer to hold their ANZAC Day memorial at home, as all of us did during 2020 when we were captives of our own houses during a lockdown; a new experience for most of us.

We have purple pin badges in recognition of the animals that fought alongside our troops in all wars, combined purple and red poppy badges, Navy, Army and Air Force mugs, water bottles, shopping bags with poppy graphics, a variety of pens, sets of cards, and biscuits in souvenir tin containers (these will go fast). 

Visit us and you'll find something you like or can't live without.

If you don't need another pen, or another ANZAC Day badge, you may wish to simply leave a donation.

Whatever you do, if you are in the area, please drop in and say hello to our team members. You could even discuss how easy it is to become a member.