It was a solemn mood that overcame the crowd at the Moama Cenotaph for the mid-morning Anzac Day commemorative service.
A crowd of 300 people attended the service at 9am, welcomed by Moama RSL sub-branch president Ken Jones, before Col Perkins led those in attendance in prayer.
The guest speaker, Mayor Chris Bilkey, was in attendance for his seventh Anzac Day as Mayor of Murray River Council, and spoke to the crowd of his familial connection with war.
Wearing the service medals of both his father and father-in-law, Cr Bilkey resonated with many in attendance who had a personal connection to the day. Cr Bilkey’s father served in Darwin and the Pacific during World War II, as did his father-in-law, a cartographer in New Guinea during the time of the Japanese invasion.
“I personally have no service in the armed forces, I was too young for those wars (World War II and Korea) and too old for Vietnam, so I didn’t get a chance to serve in any of those,” Cr Bilkey said.
“Like many, many families, particularly those who are baby boomers like myself and grew up between the wars, they have parents and uncles and grandfathers and fathers who did serve in the Second World War, and even maybe as far back as the First World War.
“That brings a legacy that survives in our families, a legacy of pride and achievement, and thankfulness for what they did in both those wars and in wars since.”
Cr Bilkey also chose to recognise the efforts of the Australians who served in the Korean War during his speech, as the so-called ‘forgotten’ war celebrates the 70th anniversary of the signing of the armistice later this year.
“This year is the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, so that was an obvious one to highlight,” he said.
“It doesn’t mean that I don’t acknowledge the importance of the other wars, it is just that this year is the 70th anniversary, and it’s very much a forgotten war by many Australians. We didn’t have as much involvement in terms of people committed to that war, or people deployed in that war, as we did in the First and Second World Wars, or even the Vietnam War.
“It was nonetheless an important war for us in developing our identity as a nation and developing an identity as a nation in the Pacific, as opposed to supporting European wars.”
Following the Anzac requiem, recited by Echuca College students Lachlan and Ella, and a rendition of I am Australian by the Moama Public School Choir, wreaths were laid by organisations including Moama Police, NSW Rural Fire Service and NSW Fire and Rescue, among many others.
Bugler Laticia Tomkinson performed the Last Post while the crowd stood in unison, a minute’s silence in respect for those who gave their life observed by all.