The proceedings were carried out by Inverell RSL sub branch president Pat McMahon, who made special comment of the turn out of locals to pay their respects.

The Hunter River Lancers took post in a catafalque guard around the cenotaph, as the Inverell Pipe Band formed a guard for wreath layers.

The highlight for the hundreds assembled outside the Inverell RSM club was the Boeing C-17 Globemaster low pass north over service.

7am: THIS year’s dawn service at Inverell was attended by about 500 people, well down on last year’s estimate of about 1500, but then, last year was the Anzac Day centenary. Read the full report.

ON Anzac Day, Inverell will be treated to an exhibition by the RAAF that few country towns have ever witnessed. 

At 11.05am a Boeing C17A Globemaster III will make a fly-past over our cenotaph. 

Inverell RSL Sub-Branch secretary Graeme Clinch said the fly-past was organised by the RSL, which unashamedly utilised a few useful contacts to advance its idea.

“They wanted to know what we wanted this year. Whether we wanted the FA18, or something different,” he said.

“So we said ‘well just send us the biggest thing you’ve got in whatever’s available’.

“He said ‘Well, the biggest thing we’ve got is the Globemaster’, so we got it.” 

The first Globemasters entered service in Australia in 2006, and the last of six was delivered last year. The heavy-lift aircraft have been used by the RAAF for both military and humanitarian purposes, and they have a huge capacity. Following cyclone Yasi, Globemasters flew 200 tonnes of groceries into Cairns in two days. In 2012 they flew 60 military missions, about 330 hours of flight, in the Middle East, where they moved 190 vehicles, 1800 passengers and over 3600 tonnes of cargo and conducted 20 aeromedical evacuations.

While other towns in our region will get the usual Hornet ‘where is it? – there it goes’ experience, Inverell will experience the true spectacle of a big plane at low altitude.

“Inverell is going to get it at 300 feet for a fly-past along Evans Street while the Anzac service is on,” Graeme said.

“It will come down with the flaps down, and will make a terrible, terrible ruckus. “There will be camera opportunities for any local who wants to take photos, because it will be so low.”

Graeme said the fighter jets could not cut their speed to get very low.

“Globemasters have four jet engines and a massive wingspan that will go over the top of where we are. Just massive, they are,” he said.

Barnaby urges electorate to remember the sacrifice

The Deputy Prime Minister and the Member for New England Barnaby Joyce encouraged the New England electorate to remember the sacrifice of Australian servicemen and women from all wars and conflicts during Monday’s Anzac Day commemorative services.

“On Anzac Day, I encourage all Australians to reflect upon the sacrifice of the brave men and women who have served our nation in wars, conflicts and on peacekeeping operations,” Mr Joyce said.

“Anzac Day is a time to remember those who have served our country and the price they have paid, sometimes with their health and wellbeing, and in many cases with their lives.

“We must never forget the Anzac tradition that was forged on a foreign battlefield by an army of young volunteers.

Mr Joyce said this year marked the 100th anniversary of Australia’s involvement on the Western Front, of France and Belgium.

“Australian troops arrived on the Western Front in March 1916, and participated in every major British offensive that led to Germany’s defeat in November 1918.”

This included the 33rd Battalion, nicknamed “New England’s own”, which sailed on the SS Marathon for further training at Lark Hill in England on 26 May, 1916.

The 33rd Battalion was formed in January 1916 at a camp established at the Armidale showground. The bulk of the battalion's recruits were drawn from the New England region.

The 33rd served with distinction at Messines and Passchendaele. It took part in a counter-attack at Hangard Wood on 30 March, and helped to defeat a major drive on Villers-Bretonneux on April 4, 1918. 

“Almost 300,000 Australians served on the Western Front, more than 46,000 lost their lives and about 18,000 were left with no known grave.

“Names like Fromelles, the Somme, Pozières, Bullecourt, Messines, Passchendaele, Le Hamel, Villers-Bretonneux and Mont St. Quentin remain places of great significance to Australians today.

He said there were more and more Australians who could look to a forebear who served in the military in either WWI or WW2 or any of the other conflicts the country had been involved with.

“The connection to this event is becoming more pronounced rather than less,” Mr Joyce said.

“Therefore it has a deep commemorative and in some instances almost spiritual connection for so many people as a reflection of who they are.

“We shouldn’t forget these people for once we forget them, we forget who we are.”

Mr Joyce will attend the Tamworth Dawn Service at Anzac Park and then take part in services being held in Willow Tree and Quirindi.

“I encourage everyone in the New England Electorate to attend a service this Anzac Day or take time to pause and reflect on the sacrifice of those who gave their lives in the service of our country.

“Lest We Forget.”

Anzac Day services:

Inverell and Gilgai will commemorate Anzac Day from 5.45am, with a service at the Inverell RSM club, followed by the dawn service at the cenotaph from 6am.

A bus service will leave for Gilgai from 8am for the service there at 8.45am.

The Inverell march will form up from 10.15am, for a 10.30am start, before the main service at the Inverell cenotaph from 11am.

Tingha will hold a daw service at the memorial gates, followed by breakfast at the Sport and Recreation club, from 6am, before assembling for a mark on the corner of Opal and Ruby Streets from 10.15am, for a 10.30 start. The commemoration service will be held at the memorial gales from 11am.

Ashford will assemble for a dawn service at 6am, for a 6.15am start, followed by the march assembly in Albury Street from 11am, for an 11.10am start. Lunch will be held at the Ashford Memorial Bowling Club from 12.30pm.

Delungra will assemble for a dawn service at the Delungra cemetery from 6.30am, before forming up at 9.30am for the march from the Delungra Bowling Club for a 10am start.

Bundarra will mark from Bundarra Central School following an Anzac Day service from 10am.

Bingara will hold a dawn service at the RSL Club Memorial Park from 6am, with breakfast from 6.30am.

The march will assemble on Maitland Street from 10.30am, for an 11am start, with an Anzac Day service from 11.30am back at the RSL Club Memorial Park.