Geelong stops to remember the fallen

THE Geelong community paused and remembered those who gave their lives in times of war on Tuesday this week to mark Remembrance Day.

Services took place across the Geelong region, including in Lara where community members wore poppies and congregated at the local RSL for proceedings.

Deputy Prime Minister and Corio federal member Richard Marles and Lara MP Ella George were among the crowd of 200 people who paid tribute.

Lara RSL president Marcus McEwan said the ceremony was well attended and veterans were honoured in a respectful manner.

“It was definitely a huge success for us.

“To have Richard there too was a great boost.

“Last year we only had 40 make it to the service, so to get 200 this year was massive.

“Seeing the crowd showed me people still want to take part in the Remembrance Day tradition. Gladly it continues to be very important.”

This year marked 106 years since conflict on the Western Front ended in World War I.

Remembrance Day was first held in 1919, when it was originally named Armistice Day, a year after armed conflict during World War I formally came to an end on November 11, 1918.