Phil Carter: How Ballarat will commemorate Anzac Day

A Ballarat veterans advocate says Anzac Day is about remembering the sacrifice of Australian men and women. See the services planned here.

The Avenue of Honour in Ballarat.

Ballarat veterans and residents will gather around the region on Monday morning for Anzac Day ceremonies and marches beginning with a Dawn Service at the Sturt Street Cenotaph hosted by the RSL.

There are about 400 services members at the Ballarat RSL.

Veterans advocate Phil Carter said Anzac Day was not about commemorating war, but peace.

The RSL’s role, he said, was making sure all veterans were looked after.

“1916 is when they realised there was going to be a need for when all these guys came back, there was going to be big issues: wounded soldiers, families without husbands, wives, brothers – the whole box of dice,” Mr Carter said.

“That’s why the Returned and Services League was formed, for that specific reason.

“From then on what the RSL is all about is welfare of veterans and family.”

Mr Carter told the story of the one Ballarat veteran in World War I who earned a Victoria Cross.

His name was William Dunstan, rank corporal.

“He was in one of the first groups into Gallipoli,” Mr Carter said.

“At Lone Pine he was involved in attacking the Turks to protect other members of his troop.

“The funny thing about this guy is that before he left he had a girlfriend and the father of the girlfriend said to him, ‘If you want to marry my daughter when you come back, if you come back, you have to earn a Victoria Cross.’ Which he did.”

HMAS Ballarat commissioning crew members Felicity Coe and Daniel Hooper, and veterans advocate Phil Carter at the Ballarat RSL.

Daniel Hooper joined the navy in 2002 and served on numerous ships including HMAS Ballarat.

He took another ship to Iraq in 2005 and was discharged in 2014.

“If it wasn’t for the men and women of our service in previous years who made the ultimate sacrifice then we wouldn’t be where we are today as a country,” Mr Hooper said.

“It’s not about us, it’s more about remembering them on Anzac Day.”

He said one focus for veterans was to try to show younger service members that they were worthy of being part of the broader veteran community.

“A lot of the veterans nowadays are a lot younger, with the veterans from previous conflicts in limited numbers, “ Mr Hooper said.

“We definitely can’t forget them, but we’re trying to find the need and the want of the other veterans now and support them: it’s about making sure they feel worthy and they get the support that they need.”

BALLARAT AND SURROUNDS ANZAC DAY SERVICES

Sturt Street cenotaph

6am: Dawn Service

10.30am: march

11am: commemorative service

Avenue of Honour Fireman’s Memorial

7am: commemorative service

Arch of Victory

8am: commemorative service

Sebastopol post office

8.45am: march

Sebastopol cenotaph

9am: commemorative service

Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial

9am: wreath-laying service (register online)

Miners Rest cenotaph

10am: commemorative service

Buninyong Memorial Park

10.15am: commemorative service