ANZAC Day service of firsts

25 April 2019

There were a number of firsts in today’s ANZAC Day memorial service at the cenotaph at Windsor, which is organised by the Windsor and Districts Historical Society.

For the first time, students from Windsor State School gave a presentation about the wide range of animal species, from horses to camels to cats, involved in war-time service.

For the first time, didgeridoo player Charlie Chambers presented a prelude and also was part of a “welcome to country” delivered by aboriginal elder Uncle Joe Kirk (whose grandfather, Frank Fisher, was a horseman with the 11th battalion overseas).

Each year, at least two politicians are invited to speak and at least one has comments that stand out more than others. This year, Cr Andrew Vines, the Brisbane City Councillor representing Enoggera Ward (pictured top), was invited, for the first time, to speak. He has laid wreaths during previous services but this year was the first time he had been invited to speak. His was an inspirational message.

Stafford corps officer, Major Ian Channell, gave a short address and prayed - another first.

State LNP leader and Member for Clayfield, Tim Nicholls (pictured bottom), in his brief talk, said everyone continued to be impressed by the growing number of people attending ANZAC Day services around the country, particularly in Brisbane. He said he attended the first ANZAC Day service at Cameron Rocks on the Brisbane River at Hamilton several when about 30 attended. He said that, today, about 500 attended at that venue.

Cr Vines said mankind traditionally “placed a stone marker” in a prominent location as a permanent reminder of significant victories or moments.

“We mark with a stone, things we intend to commemorate and we expect to stand the test of time,” Cr Vine said.

One could not help thinking of the stone that played such a significant in the Easter story - the stone that will for generations tell the story of the victory Jesus had over death and His sacrificial act of laying down his life to give us the freedom we enjoy in him and pathway to eternity in Heaven.

He described the cenotaph at Windsor as a “stone” laid to help future generations to remember the heroic and sacrificial efforts by Australia’s soldiers in fighting to protect the values and way of life held dear by everyone in the country.

“This stone marker; this grand, stone structure behind us (the cenotaph), set high on a hill was made by our forebears as a marker to recognise that in a place of relative meaningless by Australian standards of the time,” Cr Vine said.

“Our best materials and skills will build this structure as a testimony to sacrifice and commitment of this community to defending our way of life and we come here today with gratitude to those who this place and this structure honours so that we may live in peace and prosperity,” he said.

While the cenotaph recognised particular service, Cr Vine Brisbane had always been “a garrison town” with many markers around the city recognising the defence community.

He specifically mentioned the offices of Allied Defence Force commander, America’s general Douglas McDarthur, still stood in Edward Street in Brisbane city.

He said many the allied soldiers were stationed in suburbs in the district close to Windsor such as Kelvin Grove, Alderley, Enoggera, Kedron Brook and Gaythorne and, the largest population, at Grovely.

The crowd again was reminded that Brisbane was where the first ANZAC Day Service was commemorated and Church of England priest, Canon David Garland, is credited for that.

Cr Vines said the people who went off to war to defend the principals and borders of Australia were “everyday Australians” who volunteered to defend our way of life; the type of person you would pass in any grocery aisle - the Wilston storeman; the Newmarket tilemaker; the Alderley greengrocer; the Mitchelton farm hand - decided to serve their nation - putting on a uniform to travel to the other side of the world and found the courage to charge enemy trenches; to face down mortar bombardments; to witness the horrors or WW1 “in very very difficult circumstances”

He said:

• Brisbane - the garrison town - had a close affinity with wartime. The city’s coat of arms has a leopard head on it which indicates the presence of defence forces and two palm fronds which signify it as a place of victory.
• The Brisbane suburb of Gaythorne, where the Enoggera barracks - which opened in 1908 - are located, was formally known as Rifle Range - because that’s where the rifle range was located at the barracks
• Brisbane was the headquarters of allied efforts in the Pacific conflict of WWII.
• Enoggera was a base of training and preparation for many units engaged in conflicts from then until today.

Major Ian, whose British Home Guard grandfather died at age 40 during WWI, quoted from Isaiah in his address. His father also served in the British army in WW2 service in Palestine, Egypt and India but died in peace at age 74.

Rarely speak of their experiences of war; maybe too horrific; too distressing; too heart breaking.

Major Ian echoed Cr Vines’ thoughts by saying his grandfather and father were “ordinary people who experienced exceptional circumstances; endured unbelievable hardships; sacrificed personal comfort and safety for the sake of generations who they may have hoped would never be required to endure “the madness of war”.

He suggested that many who served in war were not especially religious people but would have given God some sort of recognition in the height of battle or in other dire circumstances or even before entering some type of theatre of battle.

They served and died in the hope that the words from Isaiah would come to fruition:

Selected verses from Isaiah 2:2-4

In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all;

For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem.

The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes.
They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.

Come, ... let us walk in the light of the Lord!

Major Ian said all those who served are remembered: those who died and those who lived but suffered. They are remembered so “we may walk in the light of peace they gained for us so that we can walk, as Isaiah said, in the light of the Lord.

He linked “walking in the light of the Lord” to the words of Jesus wherein he said “Let us love one another” and encouraged those listening to consider what that meant.

He said Jesus loved us so much he was prepared to lay down his life for us as our soldiers had done in laying down their lives for their friends and for their enemies and for those who they would never meet.

“I think of those who survived and I’m challenged by those who gave the greatest sacrifice of all: their personal wants and needs and comforts and securities,” Major Ian said.

“We may never be required to defend our nation; to never be required to lay down or life as they had but the example we could follow is to love one another, sacrificing our personal wants and needs and comforts and securities for our friends and, yes, for our enemies and for the stranger who calls upon us and, I believe, in this way, walk in the light of the Lord,” he said.

Alan Webster returned the the dais this year to Marshall the ceremony in absence of the regular Marshall.

As well as hearing the reading of the three public resolutions, the crowd joined in the singing of O God Our Help In Ages Past and Abide with Me - to music provided by the Stafford corps band.

Forecast rain held off for the service. There were just a few drops during the morning tea but nothing to cause an umbrella being called for.Some Stafford corps members joined politicians, other community leaders, students, defence force reservists, scouts and guides, WADHS members and members of the public for hot beverages, cordial and ANZAC biscuits.