Remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice

HEATHCOTE RSL Sub-Branch president Miles Humphrey welcomed veterans, families and all age groups to the Remembrance Day Commemoration Ceremony on Tuesday.

It was held at the Heathcote Cenotaph.

“Remembrance Day goes beyond the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice to end the ‘war to end all wars’,” he said.

“It is the day on which we remember all who served and died in war and on operational service.

“The spirit of sacrifice, with its qualities of courage, mateship and duty, continues to have meaning and relevance for our sense of national identity and our responsibilities to our community.

 

“There are so many examples of these qualities for us to learn from and teach our children.

“If only we would spend more time looking back upon these most important parts of our history, rather than the modern self-defeating and depreciating fashion these days of looking back with disdain and contempt upon our forebears.”

Mr Humphrey spoke about Sister Marie Eileen Craig who joined the RAAF Nursing Service in 1943 and played a vital role in caring for wounded soldiers while transporting them to safety.

Tragically, she died at just 31 years old while caring for wounded former prisoners of war, in an evacuation flight listed as missing.

 

“It wasn’t until 1968, that the crash site was found and the fate of Marie and the other people on the plane was confirmed,” said Mr Humphrey.

“They had crashed at 13,500 feet in the New Guinea highlands.

“Marie was one of five RAAFNS nurses killed during service in the Second World War.

“Tragically, humanity never seems to learn the mistakes of the past and whilst we say ‘we will remember,’ some of our leaders and sections of the community now appear to disregard our otherwise peaceful society for the sake of distant and dangerous ideological causes.

 

“We must be ever thankful for the sacrifice of our glorious dead, and never forget the great tragedy of war, and the significant loss of life that is evident from our honour boards in our foyer.

“Our thoughts today go with our soldiers, sailors and airmen who remain deployed across the globe.”

Special guests at the ceremony included Liutenant Michael Phillips RAA, Cr Aaron Spong, Felicity Wolff representing Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters, the Reverend Ian Davey, Father Peter Ferwenda, Reverend Richard Bath and Pastor Bob Menadue.

Students from Heathcote and Holy Rosary Primary Schools, and Trinity Academy also attended.

 

Heathcote resident Nancy Miller attended, who joined the Australian Defence Forces in 1973 and retired in 2013.

“I worked in the signal and ordinance corps, and as a clerk in administration,” she said.

“I served in Melbourne, spent two years in Canberra and my last four years at Puckapunyal.

“My father served in the RAAF and my mother in England.

“Remembrance Day, for me, is a time to remember all who served in the Defence Forces; those who lost their lives and, importantly, those who were wounded.

“I hope these ceremonies help to give them the strength to go forward.”