Friendships rekindled on ANZAC Day

By LCDR Mick Gallagher
Whilst my son in law MIDN Damien Goodbun, took time out from his studies at RMIT in Melbourne and attended the ANZAC Day Service in his hometown of Newcastle, I caught up with local naval personnel at the Hornsby ANZAC Day Dawn Service.

The midnight rain that had earlier woken many during the night did not deter more than 1000 locals from attending the 5am service. Once again the naval uniform was present at dawn with MHQ submariner LCDR Scott Walker of Hornsby and other navy locals attending.

“I’ve been coming here for the past six years except in 2000 when I was in Timor,” said CPOET Brian Poole from MOTU at GI, who travelled from Carlingford.

Other locals present were POCOX Neil Forde of Hornsby, from FIMA-Sydney, and POMT Roy Lane from HMAS Waterhen.
CPOMT Chris Garner of Hornsby Heights, from RANTEAA, had been attending the Hornsby service for the past three years and keeping the family spirit alive.

“My grandfather was with the Australian Light Horse in WW1, and my uncle was in the RAAF during WWII,” he said.
POMT Tony Mills and ABMT Andrew Beattie from HMAS Manoora with former shipmate LSMT Ben Bryon were also at the service.

“The last time I was here was four years ago owing to Manoora’s operational commitments in 2001 and 2002. It’s great to be back home for this dawn service,” said LS Bryon of Thornleigh.

Many former PF naval personnel also attended including CDRE Nick Helyer of Hornsby Heights and former POQMG and Vietnam veteran, Police Senior Sergeant Phillip Stubbs-Mills of Hornsby.

I then went on to the 7am ANZAC service at nearby Berowra before joining up with more naval personnel at the main ANZAC Day parade in Sydney.