On November 11, 1918 at 11am in Europe the guns fell silent for the first time in over four years. An armistice had been negotiated to end the “Great War”.
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The timing of the final sounding of the guns was famously known as the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month”.
There was much celebration around Europe and church bell pealed across the country-side as everybody celebrated the end of the war.
This year, of course, is the anniversary of that event and we replicated those celebrations with the ringing of all the bells in Boorowa.
The solemn ceremony commenced at 10:40am at the Boorowa War Memorial with representatives of the Boorowa Army Cadets slow marching on to the site following the order to mount the Catafalque Party.
In modern times, Catafalque Parties are mounted around coffins as a sign of respect and around memorials on occasions of remembrance such as Remembrance Day.
The catafalque party consists of four members of an armed guard who stand, their heads bowed and their arms (weapon) reversed, facing outward approximately one metre from the coffin or catafalque as a symbolic form of respect for those who have fallen.
The Reviewing Officer, Major General Steve Meekin, AM (Retd) gave a short address on the theme of Remembrance, this was closely followed by the Ceremonial part of the day when Ode was recited and Mr Craig Barker was invited to sound the last post.
A minute’s silence was observed, and Mr Barker played Rouse.
The second part of the Commemorative Service was the unveiling and dedication of five plaques which are affixed to the War Memorial to commemorate the following conflicts which had, previously not been commemorated on the Boorowa War Memorial but involved citizens from Boorowa District.
These were: the Boer War, British Commonwealth Occupation Forces, Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq War, Afghanistan, East Timor and the Middle East. Plaques for the First and Second World War were dedicated for a number of personnel, who for one reason or another were omitted from plaques originally laid.
Following the joint dedication by Reverend Lindbeck from Boorowa’s Anglican community, Deacon Patrick Whale and Mr Arnold Spackman respectively from the Catholic Community and the Uniting Church Community.
The Boorowa RSL sub-Branch as always, wanting to include the youth in our services invited school representatives from Boorowa Central School, St Joseph’s School and the Army Cadet Troop to read a roll-call of all the names on the new plaques.
An excellent lunch was partaken of at the Boorowa Ex-services and Citizens’ Club.
