Lest we forget: Huge crowds anticipated for Dawn Services, marches across the state
Thousands of South Australians have stood vigil at Anzac Day Dawn Services across the state this morning, with many telling their own personal stories about the importance of the day.
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Hundreds of thousands of people have stood in sombre reflection at Anzac Day Dawn Services in Adelaide and across the state, paying tribute to the service and sacrifice of generations of South Australians.
More than 1000 people gathered at the South Australian National War Memorial – on the corner of North Tce and Kintore Ave – where Ian Smith, chair of the RSL SA Anzac Day committee, opened proceedings.
“We are very pleased so many people have joined us here this morning,” Mr Smith said.
People of all ages were seen paying their respects, from toddlers to army veterans.
Hundreds donned beanies and headwear, while almost all could be seen rugged up with jumpers, coats and scarfs – some even brought deck chairs.
On the western side of the memorial, defence service personnel stood proudly – honouring defence force members past and present.
People circulated all around the front of the memorial, with people backed up all the way to the other side of North Tce.
As the sun began to rise, birds could be heard chirping throughout the opening ceremony.
Chaplain Paul Ghanam led the Our Father prayer – a prayer previously recited throughout the battlefield during the war for comfort and peace.
“We now follow in the footsteps of those brave men and women, as now we pray,” Father Ghanam said.
The first wreath and tribute was placed by his excellency Dr Richard Harris and his wife, Mrs Harris – followed by key political figures Premier Peter Malinauskas, Senator Penny Wong, Chief Justice Chris Kourakis, John Gardner MP, Joe Szakacs MP, Senator Simon Birmingham, Lord Mayor Jane Lomax Smith, Steve Georganas MP and Police Commissioner Grant Stevens.
Just before 7am, a very light shower began to fall.
Damon Hahn, who currently serves in the navy on HMAS Sydney, surprised his mum Karen with the news that he’d be able to attend his first Adelaide Anzac Day in five years since being deployed.
“(Anzac Day) is about remembering what they (the defence services) did so we can enjoy what we have now,” he said.
“I think that’s a big thing, I think it’s really important to remember what they did.”
Ms Hahn said she was “absolutely thrilled” to see her son back in Adelaide.
“It’s few and far between because he’s posted away from home and we just don’t know when he’s going to get back, so we really appreciate every time that he can just hop on a plane and come home,” she said before pointing out her own personal connection to the day.
“These are my great grandfather’s medals. He was killed at Gallipoli in World War I, leaving behind three orphaned children with his mother.
“His memorial is at the Helles Memorial in Turkey and it’s just a very sad situation that our grandfather never knew his mother or his father and was brought up by his grandmother.
“It’s just one of those really sad stories from war.
“These medals were re-struck in his honour and we (grandchildren) take it in turns to wear them. He made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Frank Scrimshaw – who served in the air force with the 36th Squadron – and his wife Libby, were at today’s Dawn Service, together with their children Lilah and Nixon, noting the importance of remembering the people who “made the ultimate sacrifice”.
“It’s special to our family, especially with Frank who also served and my grandparents and great grandparents who served,” Mrs Scrimshaw said.
“My great grandpa was in World War I – in the trenches on the Western Front – and he spent many months there.
“There was a battle and a lot of his soldiers died and he survived.
“My grandpa was in World War II as well – he was in the air force.”
Mr Scrimshaw said it was important to teach the next generation the significance of honouring the Anzac spirit.
“It’s a very special day, for the tradition and the future of Anzac Day,” he said.
“To show these kids that it’s only something little to come out and show their respects for the people before us who made so much more sacrifice.
“Hopefully it plants that seed for them to continue the tradition long past us.
“I served in the air force for about 12 ½ years.
“My brother was in the army about the same time, so with our family, this day means a lot. He’ll be in the march so it will be good to wave to him.”
Veterans and serving members of the Australian Defence Force began the Anzac Day march at 9.30am, followed by the Anzac on Torrens event which began at 10am – as the first veterans finish their march.
Anzac Day commerations in Gawler started with a march last Sunday followed by a showing of the film Gallipoli on Wednesday night ahead of Thursday’s dawn service, which about 4000 in attendance.
This year’s theme was sacrifice and diversity, which Gawler RSL president Colin Wardop, 73, said paid tribute to the sacrifices made by families and servicemen and women from different cultural backgrounds.
“Its about those who died but also the sacrifices made by families whose mothers, fathers, daughters, sisters, brothers, uncles who didn’t come back,” he said.
“And of the 50,000-odd Australians that went overseas initialiy, many of them weren’t born in Australia.
“There’s also the Indigenous soldiers who went to war and volunteered who weren’t recognised so we make sure to do that every year.
“And at today’s service, there were current people serving who are of Pakistani, Indian, Kiwi and Aboriginal heritage and they are proud to be doing what they are doing for our country so its about giving back.”
For Mr Wardop, who spent five decades serving in the Australian Army, its also a chance to commemorate his fallen comrades.
“I always think of those who I served with who aren’t here and I have a silent prayer when the Last Post plays to commerate them,” he said.
A crowd of around 5000 gathered for the dawn service in Mount Barker which was bittersweet for Rebecca Douglass, 46, as it was the first year without her veteran father.
“I lost my Vietnam verteran father last year, so today was a bittersweet moment but its an important national day,” she said.
Ms Douglass’ family has a strong history of service, going back to her great, grandfather in WWI.
“My great, grandfather left Mount Barker for WWI, his son, my grandpa, left for WWII, and dad left for Vietnam,” she said.
Now her 13-year-old son, who has joined the army cadets at Woodside, is following in their footsetps, which makes her very proud.
Over on the Eyre Peninsula, there were at least 1000 attendees at the Port Lincoln RSL’s dawn service which volunteer Allison Southon, 54, said was heartwarming to seee.
“Its amazing to see the community come together and pay respects and honour them,” she said.
“We have the lifestyle we have, because of what these amazing humans did and the amazing people serving today.
“There’s lots of kids here, asking questions, wanting to know more, going through the museum, talking to the veterans because for them, war is just something they’ve seen on TV so to see the pride and respect they have for them is incredible.”
In the heart of the riverland, Renmark had its biggest turnout for their dawn service and march in years with more than 1000 attendees.
Renmark RSL secretary Tony Guster, 77, said it was “gratifying” to see the level of support for our veterans.
“It very well attended and we had special flyers for each ceremony by a couple of local pilots just to kick things off,” he said.
“Renmark has had a very, very strong representation in the armed forces over the years and a percentage of people that have joined both world wars and Vietnam is one of the highest in the nation so it’s a very big thing here.”
As a Vietnam veteran, Mr Guster was particulalry happy to see support grow for annual commemorations over the years.
“When I was a kid, it probably wasn’t so obvious we had big Anzac Day marches, but there are a lot of veterans and government’s kept away from it.
“But nowadays, the government is really supporting it, you just have to look at the way they suported the National War Memorial and they’ve given grants to RSLs like ours to make sure that our commemorative facilities are up to scratch.
“The whole thing has become very important to our culture and its been very gratifying.”
Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand forces at Gallipoli in 1915, a conflict that claimed the lives of more than 8000 Australians.
It also allows families with a personal connection to Defence services to pause and pay their respects.
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