Anzac Day 2015: Tasmania remembers
THOUSANDS of people have attended services across Tasmania to honour the bravery and sacrifice of the Anzacs.
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THOUSANDS of people have attended Anzac Day services around Tasmania.
SEE THE GALLERY: DAWN SERVICES ACROSS TASMANIA
SEE THE GALLERY: MARCHES AND SERVICES AROUND TASMANIA
Hobart
PEOPLE have lined the streets of Hobart to mark the centenary of Anzac Day.
Crowds lined up five-deep along Macquarie St cheered on more than 1000 people participating in this year’s main parade.
After saluting Governor Kate Warner at the Hobart Town Hall, the march continued on to the Hobart Cenotaph for the main commemorative service.
Led by the Bishop of Tasmania Reverend John Harrower, the service featured an address by the former Chief Justice and governor William Cox.
His father, Ellis Cox, fought in World War I in the Australian Imperial Force as an artillery officer and was awarded a military cross for gallantry.
“Let us always remember that without the sacrifices and efforts of the men and women we honour today, we would have inherited a different quality of life from that which we now enjoy,” Mr Cox said.
Australia’s most recent Victoria Cross recipient Cameron Baird was honoured with his name being unveiled on Hobart’s Wall of Remembrance, which lists the state’s 10 VC recipients.
Corporal Baird, 32, from Burnie, was killed in Afghanistan in June 2013 and his bravery recognised posthumously with the high military honour.
Earlier...
MILD conditions brought people out in their thousands at the Hobart Cenotaph for the dawn service.
As the temperature reached 11 degrees, the echo of the Last Post rang out across the still morning to remember the fallen and mark the 100th anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli.
The St Mary’s College choir sang Lest We Forget and O God Our Help In Ages Past and Hutchins school captain Ziah Cooper spoke of what Anzac Day meant to students.
His great uncle Ike Watson was a member of the 40th battalion in World War I.
“In a country with such a diverse student population and a range of cultures, histories, beliefs and perspectives, I think there is no way to expect the meaning of Anzac Day to fit into a single defined meaning for everyone,” Ziah said.
“We have to be willing to find our own meaning.”
1000's make their way to Hobart's Salamanca for ANZAC gunfire breakfast. Dawn service turnout surprises organisers pic.twitter.com/6YE8H3nBfG
— Deputy Ron Christie (@RonChristie) April 24, 2015It's breakfast time. Great turn out at the Community Gunfire Breakfast @themercurycomau #Hobart #AnzacDay pic.twitter.com/QZ8LzR2ZZ0
— Ben Waterworth (@nyc55david) April 24, 2015The march begins #Hobart #anzacday #ANZAC @themercurycomau pic.twitter.com/CBN5zy6WXm
— Ben Waterworth (@nyc55david) April 25, 2015
Launceston
THE Centenary of the Anzacs landing at Gallipoli attracted enormous crowds in Launceston.
Launceston RSL president Graeme Barnett estimated 10,000 people were at the 6am dawn service followed by good turnouts at the march through the streets and the 11am commemoration service.
Former Brigadier and current Bass MP Andrew Nikolic said Gallipoli was the time when Australia became a nation, rather than a collection of states.
“The Anzacs at Gallipoli were our first national effort after the federation of states just 14 years earlier,’’ he said.
“Before Gallipoli people might have described themselves as Victorians or Queenslanders or Tasmanians but perhaps not Australians.”
He said Anzacs personified the national spirit – “a group decision to keep going and not give in”.
“They showed us that brotherhood is sharpened by adversity,’’ he said.
Scotch Oakburn student Amelia Pearson said that as a member of “generation Z” the commemoration was about marking a time when the consciousness of the nation was forged.
Burnie
ABOUT 1500 people gathered in Burnie Park to pay their respects and were encouraged to not only reflect on the past but also pay homage to Australians currently serving overseas.
Burnie’s Mayor Anita Dow said Anzac Day was one of Australia’s most important national days and it was heartening the community was keeping the spirit alive.
Earlier in the day a record crowd of more than 2000 people attended Burnie’s dawn service.
Latrobe
LATROBE’S dawn service drew a record 800 people and the morning service was attended by more than 1000 people.
Latrobe council spokesperson Michelle Dutton said there had been a huge involvement by young people.
“This reinforces the growing trend that past sacrifices are well and truly appreciated and continue to have significance in our community today,’’ Mrs Dutton said.
Longford
THE Village Green in the northern Midlands town of Longford was packed with more than a thousand people commemorating the 100th anniversary of Anzac Day.
Under a leaden sky the Dawn Service heard of the horror of the Gallipoli landing via a letter home from a veteran.
Frank MacDonald 2013-14 prize winner Isobel Cameron read a letter from her great, great grandfather William Hart Room to his father dated May 2, 1915.
He was the second lieutenant of the machine gun section of the 12th battalion, Third infantry brigade and was recovering in hospital from a wound when he wrote:
“Before all were on the boats fire opened on us from the shore, we got it hot all the way.
“It was marvellous how many men were not hit on the way across but in mine there were three hit.”
He described the bullets as a hailstorm, splashing everywhere.
“I had a narrow escape from stopping a bullet whilst unloading the boat.
“I was bending over picking up the ammunition boxes when a bullet went over my head and into my pack.
“Had I been standing it would have struck me in the chest.’’
Once ashore he wrote that three men had been hit by 1pm.
“Then Harrison from Devonport got a nasty one, he was firing a gun and doing good work, I sent the corporal to take his place and I was the next one to stop one.
“One of my men pulled me out of the firing line.’’
The letter concluded: “We were asked to do a difficult job and we did it.”
Miss Cameron said William was injured at Gallipoli a second time but survived the war.
RSL president Geoff Leitch said the attendance, including many family groups with small children, was very pleasing.
“That’s the idea to get them involved and we have children speaking at the main service at 11am,’’ he said.
The dawn service from New Zealand was broadcast on a big screen.
New Norfolk
ABOUT 1000 people attended the dawn service in New Norfolk, one of the biggest turnouts in many years.
Parade marshall Dale Britten said about 120 people had marched from the RSL Club to the Cenotaph in front of the Derwent Valley Council Chambers, where a big crowd of onlookers was waiting.
Mr Britten said there was about 1000 people and others said it was the biggest crowd they had seen at a dawn service.
Kingston Beach
A moving dawn service for thousands at Kingston Beach. Lest we forget. pic.twitter.com/lwfpDd4ah8
— Will Hodgman MP (@WillHodgman) April 24, 2015Kingston beach #AnzacDay tribute. pic.twitter.com/zQ9tAcQdr4
— Sharyn Jones (@wanderingscout) April 24, 2015Ulverstone
#AnzacDay dawn service in Ulverstone by reader Michael Thow. Tag us to share your images. #LestWeForget #Anzac100 pic.twitter.com/VfYRf5W5VQ
— Mercury (@themercurycomau) April 24, 2015Devonport
@themercurycomau #Devonport dawn service #AnzacDay pic.twitter.com/S7mPmUBhC2
— Gemma C (@GemDilemm) April 24, 2015Richmond
March at Richmond, Tasmania #AnzacDay pic.twitter.com/RlFuOBTr2e
— Alex Green (@CrAlexGreen) April 24, 2015MORE: ANZACS REMEMBERED AROUND AUSTRALIA
MORE: COMMEMORATION FROM GALLIPOLI
MORE: ANZACLIVE BRINGS GALLIPOLI LANDING TO LIFE
TALKING POINT: AND THEY WILL STAND BY ME
Originally published as Anzac Day 2015: Tasmania remembers
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