Anglesea RSL hold distanced VP Day service

HARD work and careful planning enabled Anglesea Returned and Services League to hold a Victory in the Pacific Day service for veterans despite Stage 3 restrictions.

Anglesea RSL chaplain John Russell delivered the service from the picturesque track just outside Japara Anglesea Aged Care Home, while residents listened in from within the centre.

Anglesea RSL secretary Angie Hunt said she was grateful for the lengths the Japara Anglesea Aged Care Home staff went to for the service to be held.

“The management and the staff got all the people together on the other side of the fence and supplied the microphone and power over the fence,” Ms Hunt said.

“We greatly appreciate the way they (Japara Anglesea Aged Care Home) look after our veterans and other residents.”

Ms Hunt said while the logistics of having the service were complex, the service itself was quite simple.

“Pastor John took the service, then we played the national anthem and finished it off with Vera Lynn.”

This year Victory in the Pacific Day also marked the 75th anniversary since the end of the Second World War.

Approximately 1 million Australians served in the war from a population of about 7 million.

Moss Darby and Bob Berrill were among those who served and both watched and listened to the service from within the aged care home.

Ms Hunt said Anglesea RSL was working hard to help their members through these difficult times.

“We’ve delivered food baskets and we’re doing some more food vouchers for takeaway meals for our veterans and their families and those sort of things.”