As part of ongoing work to upgrade the cenotaph in Armidale, a new memorial was unveiled on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It followed the Remembrance Day service, which saw school groups, community groups and war veterans gather for the annual remembrance service.
Starting at 10.30am, in the lead up to the minute’s silence at 11am, the service included a guest speaker, RSL honorary secretary Ken Dickins.
At 11am, as the bells tolled at St Peter’s Anglican Church, the crowd paused for a minute’s silence.
Prior to that, New England Singers from NECOM had performed In Flanders Fields, a song from the First World War, and wreaths had been laid by veterans organisations, community groups and school students.
Watch the service here:
The World War I cenotaph, which is the centerpiece of the city’s Central Park, had plaques added to it over the years to recognise service in conflicts that followed.
But after receiving funding from Armidale Regional Council, the RSL sub branch has started work to restore the cenotaph to its original state.
In total, seven new memorial plaques will be established near the World War I cenotaph, with the one unveiled on Saturday honouring the service of those who gave their lives, and those who served, in the Second World War.
The new memorial is unveiled:
Remembrance Day is held annually on November 11, to mark the anniversary of the end fighting in World War I.
In Uralla, Mayor Michael Pearce and Monsignore Ted Wilkes were guest speakers at the commemoration, while in Walcha, Major William Norton delivered the Remembrance Day address.
Other Remembrance Day services in the region included Glen Innes and Inverell.