Record numbers at dawn service

By Lia Bichel
A RECORD crowd attended the Dandenong Anzac Dawn Service on Sunday to pay their respects to fallen soldiers.
More than 600 people, including young children, high school students and the local fire brigade, gathered at the cenotaph on Clow Street in the early hours, many donning a poppy and clutching a glow stick instead of the traditional candle.
Members of the 310 Regional Cadet Unit provided the catafalque party for the service, which saw Dandenong-Cranbourne RSL vice-president Alan Harper recite the Anzac Requiem, Reverend Jeff Parker from the St James Anglican Church deliver the prayer and the Greater Dandenong Band and bugler provide the music.
Committeeman Brian Hosie told the crowd the story of Gallipoli and paid respect to all soldiers, including a 14-year-old from Hawthorn, who was the youngest Australian soldier to die during the war.
More than a dozen wreaths were laid in memory of fallen and departed comrades, before Dandenong High School students Nasrat Nasratallah and Sangeetha Basa said the Binyon’s Ode.
The president, committee and members thanked everyone who was involved, including the piper Ian Arrell, the City of Greater Dandenong, Army and Air force cadets and members of St John Ambulance.
The march to the Pillars of Freedom at 10.45am and the Anzac Day service at 11am were just as successful, general manager Graham Keating said.
“We had a large crowd of about 1000 people, young and old, at the service, and about 110 servicemen and women in the march,” he said.
“There were representatives from Iraq, the Turkish community, Italians, Alpinis, police, scouts, the Lions club, Guides and Navy Cadets in the march – and for the first time, we had Air Cadets marching.”
Mr Keating said the weather was also favourable.
“It rained right before the event and then stopped – it did the right thing.”
The Roulettes flew over the crowd near the end of the 11am service.
“Four planes in formation,” Mr Keating said.
“They flew about 500 feet above the crowd and made a real ‘whoosh’. It was fabulous.”