The school captains from St John’s Lutheran School, St Mary’s Catholic College and Kingaroy State High School were presented with the flags they carried at the head of the Kingaroy parade by guest speaker Commander Neil Whitehead
April 26, 2023
Residents young and old gathered in towns small and large across the South Burnett on Tuesday to commemorate the 108th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings.
Many towns started the day with a Dawn Service and visits to cemeteries.
Kingaroy hosted the biggest events, with a well-attended Dawn Service followed a few hours later by a mid-morning march through town, speeches and wreath-laying at Memorial Park.
Guest speaker was Commander Neil Whitehead who has been a member of the Naval Reserves since 1987 following full-time service between 1975-1984.
He spoke about Gallipoli and the fading number of World War II veterans, dubbed the “greatest generation”; as well as those veterans from Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan whose memories of war remain vivid.
Commander Whitehead also acknowledged the many sailors “without a headstone” lost at sea, as well as almost 1000 Australians (soldiers and civilians) who died when a ship carrying POWs, the Montevideo Maru, was torpedoed by a US submarine in 1942.
The wreck of this vessel was located just recently in the South China Sea.
South Burnett Mayor Brett, Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington, Kingaroy-Memerambi RSL Sub-Branch president Don Davey and guest speaker, Commander Neil WhiteheadKingaroy-Memerambi RSL Sub-Branch vice-president Lieutenant Commander Steven Reynolds CSM (ret) with RSL District President Neil Brown OAM and Police District Inspector Scott StahlhutMatt Phillips, from Kingaroy State High School, played the Last Post and RouseSailors and soldiers from the Defence Force School of Signals at Cabarlah formed the catafalque guardThe Kingaroy State High School choir, under the direction of Sue Dowideit-Reiger, sang Abide With Me and the National Anthems of Australia and New ZealandMatt Phillips conducted the Kingaroy State High School bandFour visitors who came to Kingaroy especially for the Anzac Day commemoration … Sylvia and Robert Anderson, from Brisbane, and Robert’s daughter Jennifer and son-in-law Tim Peek, from Auckland … Robert was born in Kingaroy
World War II veteran Mick Purser, who recently turned 100, was a special guest at the Murgon Anzac Day morning ceremony; he was presented with a plaque by Murgon RSL Sub-Branch president Kevin Gill (Photo: Cr Kathy Duff)Drummers from Wooroolin State School led the traditional march along the highway at Wooroolin; residents then adjourned to Wooroolin Memorial Hall where guest speaker Carol Berry spoke about the 75th anniversary of her parents starting the Wooroolin Anzac Day service; afterwards the QCWA served tea and Anzac biscuits (Photo: Wooroolin SS)Member for Maranoa David Littleproud attended the Yarraman Anzac Day ceremony (Photo: Cr Nancy Sommerfield)Wreaths were laid at the Cherbourg Memorial after a parade along Barambah Avenue (Photo: Cherbourg Radio)Members of the Wondai Cadets formed a guard at the Wondai Memorial after the morning march; there was also a good turnout at the Dawn Service (Photo: Ros Heit)The large crowd at Boondooma Homestead’s “Spirit Of The Bush” festival paused to mark Anzac Day in a touching ceremony which including a parade led by two horses (Photo: Tina Torrens)Kumbia marked Anzac Day with a Dawn Service and then a march later in the morning along Bell Street to the Memorial Hall (Photo: Cr Scott Henschen)Good crowds attended both the Dawn Service, above, and the morning commemoration and march in Nanango (Photo: Cr Jane Erkens)
Footnote: Saint Mary’s Catholic College Assistant Principal Alexandra Cashin commemorated Anzac Day at the Dawn Service in Villers Bretonneux, France. Ms Cashin was one of two Queensland teachers who were awarded the Premier’s 2023 Anzac Prize. She headed off to Europe recently to help chaperone eight Queensland students visiting some of Australia’s most important and historic war sites.
Thank you southburnett.com.au and the various contributors to the article for the excellent coverage of the ANZAC Day events held in the South Burnett. Especially for those of us who couldn’t be in the region on the day.
Absolutely wonderful coverage, thank you southburnett.com.au. Thanks also to everyone involved in organising these events and to those who continue to participate and honour the fallen Australians and New Zealanders.
What an outstanding article. It truly tells a wonderful picture story of the importance of Anzac Day to our community. Well done for the great coverage.
Excellent coverage! Thank you.
Thank you southburnett.com.au and the various contributors to the article for the excellent coverage of the ANZAC Day events held in the South Burnett. Especially for those of us who couldn’t be in the region on the day.
Absolutely wonderful coverage, thank you southburnett.com.au. Thanks also to everyone involved in organising these events and to those who continue to participate and honour the fallen Australians and New Zealanders.
What an outstanding article. It truly tells a wonderful picture story of the importance of Anzac Day to our community. Well done for the great coverage.