November 13, 2017
The 99th anniversary of the end of the “war to end all wars” was marked in all South Burnett towns – and across the world – on Saturday with services timed to coincide with 11:00am.
Armistice Day – or Remembrance Day as it is now known – marks the day when the Allies and Germany signed an armistice in France to cease hostilities on the Western Front.
It took effect from the “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” of 1918, effectively stopping the slaughter which had led to about 39 million soldiers killed, wounded or missing during just four years of conflict, as well as an unknown number of civilians.
In Kingaroy, cadets from the 135 ACU mounted a guard at the Catafalque on Saturday morning while Kingaroy State High School music teacher Matt Phillips played the Last Post.
The theme for this year’s Remembrance Day was “Remembering, but the future starts now”.
In line with this, two students representing “our future” were the guest speakers.
Year 11 students Bridget McDonald and Harrison Lucas will be the Captains in 2018 at St Mary’s Catholic College in Kingaroy.
At Wondai, about 35 people turned out for the commemoration at the memorial in front of the Town Hall.
Wreaths were laid by RSL members and Cr Ros Heit while Gervie Fullerton played the Piper’s Lament.
In Wooroolin, the morning markets and Lions Club car boot sale paused for the commemoration ceremony.
Services were also held at Blackbutt, Yarraman, Murgon, Cherbourg and Goomeri.
At Nanango, former World War II Halifax bomber crew member Paul Tunn laid a wreath, as did Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington, and RSL Sub-Branch members.
Boondooma Homestead also hosted a ceremony, attended by a good crowd of local residents as well as South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell and Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff.
Last year, 15 plaques were unveiled in memory of World War I soldiers who were connected with Boondooma Station.
However, since then more soldiers have been identified who have a Boondooma connection so seven more plaques were added to the memorial on Saturday.
Mayor Campbell said these soldiers were: Herbert Greenaway, Theodore Henry Humphries, Lars Rodrick Andersen, Albert Elliott, Herbert Stuart Nairne, Horace Walter Perkins and Percy Hinchliff.
Planning has already begun around the region for next year’s Remembrance Day commemorations which will mark the centenary of the end of World War I.
[Photos by southburnett.com.au, Deb Frecklington, Kathy Duff and Ros Heit]