Drysdale Remembrance Day service attracts very large crowd

LARGE crowds gathered across the Bellarine to commemorate the Centenary of the Armistice onSunday November 11.

Drysdale RSL attracted its largest crowd to a Remembrance Day service for many years and the crowd’s attendance was very much appreciated.

The day started with a veterans and community march and service.

The service included a section “Remember the Fallen”, which named and reflected on the 33 men from the Drysdale area who went off to the war between 1914 and 1918 and never returned. Photos of each person were beautifully carried by school children from schools in the local and surrounding areas.

The service was followed by a Free Family Day that included a mass live poppy display, military memorabilia display, miniature World War I railway replica, sausage sizzle provided by the Uncle Bob’s Club, Historical Society, jumping castle, face painting (with some of the adults joining in too) and fantastic music provided by “the Hoffmans Duo”.

The Drysdale RSL and SpringDale Neighbourhood Centre teamed up to mark the momentous occasion by painting three giant poppies in the paddock on Clifton Springs Road (near the cemetery), initiated a project to grow live poppies throughout the community to bloom for Remembrance Day and worked together to prepare for the “Remember the Fallen” section of the service.

The Drysdale RSL Women’s Auxiliary and the Drysdale CWA Craft Group worked together to make a beautiful five-metre “Lest We Forget” banner.

It was made from red, white and purple knitted or crocheted poppies.

Pam Davis was the inspirational force behind the banner and many community members contributed by making poppies.

Organisers wanted to thank everyone who worked so hard to make the day memorable and to thank the community, who gathered to ensure that those involved in conflicts and peace keeping missions would always be remembered.