Features - Australia Day

Navy helps fly the flag By Peter Johnson The guard forms an impressive sight along Swanston Street. Photo: ABPH Nina Nikolin More than 150 Australian Defence Force personnel from all three services supported the traditional Australia Day flag-raising ceremony in Melbourne. The 100-strong tri-service Royal Guard of Honour accompanied by the Australian Army Band Melbourne marched into position in front of the Melbourne Town Hall for the 11am ceremony. The Royal Guard of Honour was drawn from HMAS Cerberus and the Defence Force School of Signals, Simpson Barracks, Watsonia. Guard Commander was SQNLDR Peter Hall. On the stroke of midday, four F/A-18 Hornets from 77SQN, having flown north-south down Swanston Street and St Kilda Road, passed over the Shrine of Remembrance. Pilots in the box four formation were FLTLT Simon Ashworth, FLGOFF Trent Schurmann, FLTLT Ianto “Taffy” Smith, and OC 81WG, GPCAPT Mel Hupfeld. As they flew over, members of 2/10 Medium Regiment commenced firing a 21-gun salute from four 105mm howitzers positioned on the Shrine forecourt.