By Casey Neill
The Dandenong Pillars of Freedom hosted “a short and simple service of respect and commemoration” to mark Remembrance Day on Friday 11 November.
“It’s about remembering our history so we know who we are,” Dandenong Cranbourne RSL sub-branch president John Wells said.
About 50 people paused at the 11th hour to commemorate the time when in 1918 “that ghastly slaughter” that was World War I came to a halt.
Mr Wells said the attendees were also remembering the many thousands who’d fought in conflicts since.
“We’re actually celebrating the qualities that were shown by the people to whom we’re paying respect today,” he said.
Mr Wells said he hoped that the decision to go to war would never be taken lightly and that more Australian Afghan veterans had taken their own lives than enemy lives.
“This terrible, wasteful thing we call war has to stop,” he said.
Mr Wells read a poem, written in the form of a soldier’s letter home to his mum.
The soldier is full of hope that he’ll be home for Christmas as he starts the correspondence, but by the end reveals he will never leave the battlefield and will be forever young.
“That was quite emotional,” Mr Wells said.
St James’ Anglican Church Reverend Jeffrey Parker said he’d learnt about his grandfather’s war record this year, including the fact that he lost his forearm on the battlefield.
“It changed my life, to some extent,” he said.
He then led a prayer to honour people of all faiths who’d lost their lives in war.
Dandenong High School captains Rebecca and Imran recited the Ode and piper Ian Arrell played Amazing Grace as guests laid wreaths and poppies at the cenotaph.
In one of the ceremony’s lighter moments, Mr Wells urged those with floral tributes to deliver them quickly to save the ageing piper from a lengthy performance.
“If Amazing Grace lasts longer than it has to, our piper might not,” he said.
“Then we won’t have anyone for Anzac Day.”
