Hundreds of students lead remembrance service

HUNDREDS of Campbelltown schoolchildren filled Mawson Park on Friday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armistice.

Hundreds of schoolchildren and veterans at Mawson Park on Friday. Picture: Simon Bullard)

HUNDREDS of Campbelltown schoolchildren filled Mawson Park on Friday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armistice.

In a special schools commemoration service organised by Campbelltown Council and the Campbelltown RSL Sub Branch, students from dozens of Campbelltown schools helped lead the service, reciting poems and playing The Last Post.

Veterans at Mawson Park on Friday. Picture: Simon Bullard

Campbelltown Council and the Federal Government also unveiled a new memorial to commemorate the 100 years since the end of WWI which contains the names of soldiers from Campbelltown who were killed in WWI.

Campbelltown RSL Sub Branch vice president Warren Browning said it was important the memory of the nation’s fallen soldiers was passed down through younger generations.

Students lay a wreath at the Campbelltown cenotaph. Picture: Simon Bullard

“Because there hasn’t been any large conflicts that affect the entire world like World War I and II and Vietnam, the kids haven’t really heard much about what happened,” he said.

“The Spirit of Anzac should be get alive and the only way to do that is through the schoolchildren.”

Mr Browning said he was astounded by the number of children who attended Anzac Day services and wanted to host a Remembrance Day service for schools to help educate the students.

Students helped to lead the service. Picture: Simon Bullard

Campbelltown Mayor George Brticevic said students participated in the main service and were then able to complete a number of education activities in Mawson Park throughout the morning.

“If it comes to a day when we no longer have any veterans to tell of the experiences of war then there is no better way to do that than through passing that knowledge to the children,” he said.

Campbelltown RSl Sub Branch vice president Warren Browning, Dr Freelander and Campbelltown Mayor George Brticevic unveil the memorial in Mawson Park. Picture: Daniel Zautsen

Macarthur federal Labor MP Dr Mike Freelander said it was important people were reminded of the horrors of WWI to avoid similar conflicts.

“A day like this is important to remember the sacrifices made but it also makes us think that we don’t ever want to go through a war like WWI ever again,” he said.

“The damage it did to our world and our society took generations to recover.

“The names of local soldiers on the memorial is very important because it humanises it and helps people to realise these were real people.”

Campbelltown RSL Sub Branch will hold a Remembrance Day service tomorrow at Mawson Park.