The week of 21-27 April saw elements of the WA-based ADF units converge on Albany to assist the city in its celebration of the Centenary of Federation Festival and to commemorate ANZAC Day.

On ANZAC Day, a detachment of some 50 personnel from RAAF Pearce participated at the dawn service, march and memorial service under the command of Wing Commander Chris Sawade.

Both services were well attended by locals with some 2000 attending the dawn service and over 10,000 people observing the march and memorial service.

It was appropriate that the ADF was well represented in Albany, due to the city's historic links with the first ANZACs of WW I and Mount Clarence being the site of the first ANZAC Day dawn service in 1930.

During WW I, Albany's King George Sound was the rendezvous point for convoys assembling to transport troops to Gallipoli and Europe's battleground's, and for many of the troops the coast around Albany was to be the last view of their native country.

The first Australian Infantry Force convoy sailed from Albany on 1 November 1914, among the escorts being the cruisers HMAS Melbourne (I) and HMAS Sydney (I).

ANZAC Day fell in the middle of Albany's week-long Federation Festival and ADF participation in the week's events was high with:

• The RAAF providing static and aerobatic displays at the Albany Airshow, a contingent of 50 personnel and a flypast of PC9s on ANZAC Day;
• The Perth based Army Band provided a lunchtime concert in the main street and musical support for the Lotteries Federation Concert attended by over 2000 people on 24 April;
• The Army's 11/28 Battalion exercising their right to the Freedom of Entry to the City of Albany on 24 April; and
• RAN guided-missile frigates HMA Ships Adelaide and Darwin visiting. While HMAS Adelaide was open for inspection during her visit.
  

Underpinning the entire ADF participation was the Defence exhibit on the foreshore of Albany. The exhibit paying tribute to the original ANZACs, displaying the Defence Force in the first 100 years since Federation and looking at today's ADF. A team from Public Affairs, Canberra, ADF Recruiting Perth and Reserve Personnel manned the exhibit.

For Air Force, the week started at the Albany Airshow on Sunday 22 April with a new Hawk lead-in jet fighter from 79 Squadron, proving a popular display for inspection by some 4000 visitors to the airshow.

Not to be outdone, four PC9s from No. 2 Flying Training School had also flown down from RAAF Base Pearce, with one of the aircraft on display. Long lines waiting to inspect the aircraft proved the public's interest.

During the airshow, the Mayor of Albany Ms Alison Goode unveiled a plaque commemorating the importance of the RAAF to the development of Albany's airport during WW II.

Mr Hitchens, who served with No. 72 Operational Base Unit at Albany Airport during WW II, reported that at its height the unit had approximately 150 RAAF personnel serving in Albany.

While there was no permanent presence of RAAF aircraft at Albany, the Unit provided an important adjunct to RAAF Pearce with direction finding and communication roles. Mr Hitchens advised that the unit also carried out repairs to Hudson and Beaufort patrol aircraft during the war.

At the unveiling was Mr Harry Riggs, a former Flying Officer who flew Lancaster bombers during WW II for which he was awarded the DFC.

By Gary Booth