TOMORROW is Remembrance Day, 11 November, and at tomorrow morning\u2019s eleventh hour, people across Ballarat, the country, and eventually the world, will pause to recognise fallen servicepeople with a minute of silence.<\/p>\n
The Arch of Victory-Avenue of Honour committee is leading their traditional annual service from 9.30am to 10am beside the Arch in Alfredton.<\/p>\n
Every year, they focus on a different group of local servicepeople through storytelling and the reading of names.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year, we are remembering 13 Ballarat soldiers who saw the armistice and survived the war, much to the relief of their families at home, but for different reasons, like accidents, the flu epidemic, and conflict, died before they could make their way back to Australia,\u201d said committee president Garry Snowden.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese fellows were looking forward to getting home, and their families were looking forward to welcoming them home, but unfortunately, it didn\u2019t work out that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
The men to be acknowledged by name are Frederick John Larter, Clifford Keith Davies, Norman Roy Austin, Harry Vivian Skelton Sleep, Francis Gordon Davis, Thomas Albert Lewis, Joseph Sampson, James O\u2019Connor, and Thomas Grange Rowlands, Walter Stanley Dent, Patrick Maher, Alexander John Anderson, and John Burton Stewart.<\/p>\n
\u201cNovember the 11th, the armistice, was in effect a cease fire, and the war didn\u2019t officially finish until June the following year with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles,\u201d Mr Snowden said.<\/p>\n
The Arch service is held at an earlier time to allow attendees to also be part of the Ballarat Cenotaph service at 11am, if they wish.<\/p>\n
Those acknowledging Remembrance Day at the Arch may notice the iconic landmark is looking particularly fresh, following a thorough pressure-clean by City of Ballarat staff last month.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Arch is so frequently used as an image of Ballarat, and it\u2019s so important that it\u2019s clean, tidy, and looking its best,\u201d Mr Snowden said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Remembrance Day services this Friday, 11 November<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n