RSL President Col Mosch urges community to rally around veterans on Remembrance day

Townsville RSL’s new president has urged the community to show up in force to support Remembrance Day at Anzac Park today.

Trooper Diamond Hernandez will be part of the Catafalque Party at Anzac Park for Remembrance Day. Picture: Evan Morgan

The Townsville community has been asked to pause to remember and reflect at the eleventh hour on Remembrance Day today.

Veteran Col Mosch has been president of the Townsville RSL since the start of October and said the community was welcome to attend a service at Anzac Park at 10.20am today.

“People are starting to realise the significance of Remembrance Day. I think within Australia, it often gets blurred out a little bit with the significance of Anzac Day, but both days are really quite important,” he said.

“Remembrance Day is when we remember the fallen and those that you know have lost their life in service to the nation. So in my opinion, it’s probably more important.

“I always think of everyone that I served with who is no longer with us, and a lot of those people have left us too early after their service. But their service definitely contributed to them leaving us too early.”

The president said the community should take a moment to pause on Remembrance Day.

“In Australia people don’t have to look too far into their family history and find a link to someone who has served.

“That’s why it’s important that we just take that a couple of minutes out of your day once a year to think about the sacrifice of all those servicemen and women whose lives were cut short.”

Townsville RSL president Col Mosch at Anzac Park. Picture: Evan Morgan

Thuringowa RSL President Jeremy Browne also said it was important to reflect on Remembrance Day and he would be thinking about mates he lost in Afghanistan.

“Monday gives us the chance to reflect on these huge losses we suffered during the First World War and the wars since it’s a chance for us to pause and remember and reflect on the extreme sacrifices,” he said.

“I will be reflecting on my family, my uncle is still buried in Crete, but also be reflecting on my losses and my mates that never come back from Afghanistan.”

“I think the most point thing is just take a minute on the 11th, of the 11th, at 11 o’clock in the morning, and just think about the sacrifices of all our soldiers, sailors and airmen have sacrificed for our country.”

The Thuringowa RSL Service starts at 10.40am at Village Green at Riverway.

Trooper Diamond Hernandez will be part of the Catafalque Party at Anzac Park for Remembrance Day. Picture: Evan Morgan

Commander 3rd Brigade Brigadier Dave McCammon said Remembrance Day was incredibly important day for Australia and the Australian Army and he would be at a service in the Solomon Islands with deployed soldiers from the unit.

“When we look back and we reflect on what the 11th of November was in relation to the First World War and the Australian soldiers that went and fought in at Gallipoli and in France in what was such a significant war, and then the Armistice came.

“That was such a defining moment for Australia as a nation, for those soldiers to go away, and then subsequently, it’s a day that we’ve now reflect on a lot more conflict, the Second World War and more recent conflicts, and it’s a great opportunity to remember those who have gone before us.”

He said the day had particular significance for Townsville.

“Townsville is the country’s largest Garrison City, where you get looked after so well here, there are so many veterans in the community, and so it’s probably more important here than a lot of other places, because of that large veteran community, and because of the way the community embraces the ADF.”

The Brigadier said it was important to take a moment to pause at 11am.

“I think if people just took the time to reflect and acknowledge the service of those before us and those that are currently serving and just reflect on what their sacrifice means to us.

“I’ll be reflecting on what a great country Australia is, and how lucky we are to be to live in Australia, and the sacrifice that has come previously to ensure that Australia is such a great country.

“I’ll also be reflecting on those that I’ve served with and those that went before us, and in particularly those that have been affected by their service.”

Senior ADF Officer RAAF Base Townsville Wing Commander Luke Headley will also be reflecting on Remembrance Day.

“Each Remembrance Day, Australians pause to honour the sacrifice of service personnel who have fought and died in war, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

“On 11 Nov 24, air force, army and navy personnel posted to Townsville will gather together, alongside members of the community, to remember this significant sacrifice.”

Originally published as RSL President Col Mosch urges community to rally around veterans on Remembrance day