Glenelg Remembrance Day service marred by construction noise
Pausing to mark one of the most sombre moments in human history did not appear to be a high priority at two Adelaide work sites on Saturday morning.
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Constructions workers at two southern suburbs construction sites have been slammed by Remembrance Day service attendees for disrupting the commemorative event in Glenelg on Saturday morning
Hundreds of people gathered at Glenelg for the annual Remembrance Day ceremony on Saturday held by the Plympton RSL.
Holdfast Bay Mayor Amanda Wilson took to social media to thank members of the community, including Woodcroft Primary School singers, for their participation at the event.
“Thank you to the Glenelg – Plympton RSL for the beautiful Remembrance Day ceremony at Glenelg this morning,” she wrote.
“At 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month we stop to honour armed service personnel who have fallen in service of our country.”
However, one attendee, who asked to remain anonymous, claimed that the workers at a construction site situated nearby had disrupted the event.
The attendee a significant amount of noise and disruption had marred the ceremony which left the crowd feeling “really disappointed.”
“There were flashes when they stopped but the choir was trying to sing the national anthem over them,” the attendee said.
“It was just so disrespectful. After everyone was just standing around quite upset for the RSL.”
The attendee said the disruptions came from workers “banging on pipes, echoing metal crashes and an angle grinder.”
The Mayor also noted the noise coming from the site in her social media post, saying it was a continual interruption.
“Sadly, the service was continually interrupted by the sound of construction from a nearby site,” Ms Wilson wrote on the post.
“It was commented on by many after the ceremony how disrespectful it was that construction continued in such proximity, disrupting the service. Lest we forget.”
A spokesman from Romaldi Constructions, which is building on one of the sites next to where the service was held, said they should not be carrying the blame for both sites because “other crews were there working too.”
“We were open, and our staff have said they told contractors that they needed to put their tools down at 11am for five minutes,” the spokesman said.
“They did put their tools down for five minutes. There’s also another construction site down there that was operational this morning too.
“We were also not aware that there was a service in the proximity of the site.”
The Taplin Group, who is responsible for a major development on Colley Tce, has also been contacted for comment.
Never forget the folly of war
By Leah Smith
One of Australia’s last Vietnam veterans to return home has used Remembrance Day to remind future generations war is not the answer to global conflict.
RSL South Australia Ambassador Bill Denny AM BM was among the hundreds gathered to pay tribute to the fallen and mark 50 years on from the end of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War at Saturday’s service.
Mr Denny said those who served performed an honourable deed but war was “not an appropriate way to solve world conflicts.”
“I cannot for the life of me think that going around bombing people and killing people, children and women, it can never be acceptable,” he said.
“It is a testament to the fact that you’ve lost your way and you’ve lost.”
Mr Denny was one of the guest speakers during the 104th Remembrance Day service at the West Terrace Cemetery’s Australian Imperial Forces section among the graves of 4167 military personnel – each adorned with a single red poppy.
Adelaide Cemeteries chief executive, Michael Robertson, said holding the service at the southern hemisphere’s first Cross of Sacrifice among the graves was “very special”.
“It certainly gives it more feeling, more emotion because you are here with the people who we have laid to rest and have served for Australia,” Mr Robertson said.
Ten World War II veterans, including Angus Hughes, believed to be South Australia’s last surviving Prisoners of War captured by the Germans while serving as a bomb aimer with the 467 Squadron RAAF in 1942, were among the crowd.
The now 100-year-old was shot down during his thirty-second operation and spent his 21st birthday and the remainder of the war in captivity.
“I was loose for about three days before I was caught in the German jail, I don’t think they knew what they were going to do with me,” Mr Hughes said.
Mr Hughes said on Remembrance Day he remembers his World War I veteran father and the crew that was shot down with him.
“In particular, the one that was killed, he was a great friend of mine over there,” he said.
“I just hope (current and future service members) don’t have to go through what we went through.”
Fellow WWII veteran Kathleen Stephenson said she often thinks of her late husband, another veteran of the war, on Remembrance Day.
“It’s so nice to remember, but you know, it sort of brings back a lot of memories,” Ms Stephenson said.
The 102-year-old joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in 1941 aged 21 and was posted to the No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School in West Sale, Victoria.
Her final posting was to 4 Personnel Depot at Springbank and was discharged in 1946 with the rank of Sergeant.
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