By LT Chantal Llorae
HMAS
Kanimbla, Ex Mercury
(MPEG video 6.77 MB)
 |
|
Able
Seaman Beth Winterhalter had the honour of playing this
historic bugle during the Anzac ceremony at Gallipoli.
|
|
Photo:
SGT Troy Rodgers
|
A
member of the RAN band gained a special place in history when
she played a WWI-vintage bugle during Anzac Day ceremonies at
Gallipoli last month.
Able Seaman Beth Winterhalter had the honour of playing the bugle
for Last Post and Reveille during this year’s dawn ceremony and
Lone Pine service.
The bugle belonged to Lance Corporal Rory Treweek, from 39 Army
Cadet Unit (ACU), whose great grandfather was a bugler during
WWI.
It was the very instrument that sounded throughout Lone Pine and
the Somme 89 years ago.
“It was such an unbelievable and moving experience, to play in
front of almost 15,000 people while wearing the bugle that sounded
89 years ago at this very place was an such a amazing experience,”
AB Winterhalter said.
On this Anzac Day, as with all others, Australian servicemen and
servicewomen around the world observed a minute’s silence during
the dawn service to pay their respects to those who went before
them, and to honour those men and women who died whilst serving.
And having the very bugle that helped raise the soldiers and spur
them on had an emotional impact on all those people who attended.
Lance Corporal Treweek headed to Gallipoli as part of a tour of
the Battlefields of World War 1.
“For me, this trip is almost like a pilgrimage.
The bugle has stayed in the family for the past 89 years and still
bears the inscriptions of ‘Lone Pine’ and ‘the Somme’ scratched
by my great grandfather into the body of the bugle,” he said.
This year’s commemorations brought in record crowds to the Gallipoli
site with an estimated 15,000 people in attendance.
“This site is just buzzing with excitement and national fervor,
its like nothing I’ve ever experienced before,” said Carl Mover,
an Australian who traveled to Gallipoli for the Service.
A contingent of 28 people made up of the Royal Australian Navy
Band and Australia’s Federation Guard attended this year’s ceremony
to commemorate the fallen.
The original Anzac ethos and values remain the standard for all
modern soldiers, sailors, airmen and airwomen.
The Chief of Airforce, Air Marshal Angus Houston, attended this
year’s ceremony, which was also supported by Minister of Defence
Senator Robert Hill.
