Visualise the conditions faced by volunteer fighters
Vietnam Veterans and other former Australian Defence Force personnel and their many supporters of all ages gathered at the Ettalong Memorial at 8am on Anzac Day to acknowledge the service of Australia's defence force men and women in times of desperate need.
Especially poignant for me is the large number of Australians killed In cction in World War I and the treatment of Prisoners of War in World War II.
Visualise if possible, for lived experience is impossible, the conditions faced by volunteers with no end in sight.
What were their expectations of surviving?
Ettalong's ex-service precinct has transitioned into a tick-all -the-boxes enviable character veterans' zone, to host nationally significant remembrance services.
Ettalong Diggers Club's Wall of Remembrance is now adorned with red poppies and appropriate remembrance features significant for veterans of all deployments.
Future services are now assured without hesitation which will please veterans, the public and organisors.
Heritage significant ceremonies should not be cancelled as the relevance is national and has endured over many generations and will endure into the future.
This year marked 100 years since the Woy Woy Memorial was dedicated.
It is significant that veterans and the public be recognised for their allegiance to those who have served Australia past, present and future in the line of duty.
SOURCE:
Letter, 1 May 2025
Norm Harris, Umina