Fallen honoured

Silence: C Sqn 5 Avn Regt, conducting their annual flying currencies in Papua New Guinea, paused in the highlands to pay a special tribute to the Australian soldiers who fell at Shaggy Ridge in World War II. Photo by Tpr Adrian Outim

Skirling: At Camp Smitty in Iraq, WO2 Tony Colliver pipes down the Australian and British flags. Photo by Sgt Craig Sharp

Salute: At the Australian War Memorial, CDF ACM Angus Houston honours Australia’s war dead. Photo by AB Neil Richards

By Cpl Cameron Jamieson, Capt Chantal Llora and Maj Allan Croft

THE memory of those Australians who fell in wartime has been solemnly honoured around the globe.Red poppies for remembrance have sprouted in cities and towns across Australia, in Iraq, in Papua New Guinea’s highlands, wherever Australian Servicemen and women are based.

In CDF ACM Angus Houston’s address to the gathered crowd at the Australian War Memorial he spoke of the significance of 2005 to Australians.

Desert poppies: Bdr Craig Barton, Sgts Brent Major and John Darlwitz, Capt Danny McGinley, WO2 Richard Anderson, Gnrs Michael Marsh, Clayton Paris, Tyron Ford, and Rob Mathews, all members of 20 STA Regt, with poppies sent from Australia to Al Muthanna Province.Photo by Sgt Craig Sharp

Last Post: Cpl Aaron Madden, RMC Band, plays while Tpr Mark Giles, a member of the catafalque party, rests on arms reversed in the service at the Australian War Memorial .Photos by AB Neil Richards

For remembrance: Sgt Wayne Sinner, Spt Coy 2RAR, turns out with crew members from HMAS Kanimbla at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville. Photo by Cpl Rachel Ingram

“In April our nation came together, young and old, to mark the 90th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings,” he said. “In August we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Victory in the Pacific and the end of World War II with commemorative events all over the country. Last month we marked the end of an era when we farewelled Lieutenant William Allan, a naval officer who was the last Australian to see active service in World War I.”

The CDF also spoke of the tragic loss of life the ADF has suffered this year. “Sadly we have lost 11 men and women of the ADF while they were deployed on operations,” he said.

Accompanying the Royal Guard of Honour from Australia’s Federation Guard and the Band of the Royal Military College Duntroon were the gathered voices of the Australian Rugby Choir. Their rendition of the national anthem was a stirring performance, which reminded the crowd of the many voices that went to war but never returned home.

The service was also honoured by the presence of school children from each state and territory, who laid flower tributes during the service. The dignity with which they conducted themselves showed to everyone that Remembrance Day shall not be forgotten by future generations.

In Baghdad, with flags at half mast, Australians, Americans and Britons stood side by side, the observation of one minute’s silence left nothing but echoes in the halls of Saddam’s old palace.

Commander JTF633 Cmdre Geoff Ledger spoke a few words to the assembled Australian and coalition forces.

“These men and women, these strangers from another time, have given us a legacy from the past on which to build the future,” he said.

In Southern Iraq all of the 450 men and women of the Al Muthanna Task Group not involved in critical tasks stopped work for one minute’s silence at eleven o’clock as the flags were lowered to half mast about Camp Smitty.

A lone piper, WO2 Tony Colliver, piped down the Australian flag and the Union Jack, symbols that the camp is shared with the British troops of 2nd Bn, the Parachute Regiment.