Retired Torquay Wing Commander selected to speak at Shrine service

A FORMER RAAF pilot and Torquay resident says he is extremely proud to be offered the role of special guest speaker at next Thursday’s Anzac Day Dawn Service in Melbourne.

Former Torquay RSL secretary of seven years and current Defence Force Welfare Association Victoria president, Daryll Topp, will speak on his experience in peacekeeping operations during next week’s service at the Shrine of Remembrance.

“I’m just over the moon to even be considered to be asked to be guest speaker at such an auspicious occasion,” Mr Topp said.

“Anzac Day across Australia is huge and to be a guest speaker at one of the biggest events, that is just an awesome honour in my view.”

Mr Topp first joined the RAAF in April 1975 as a Clerk before graduating in July 1975.

He was then posted to various locations such as Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Woomera, Malaysia and Canberra.

Mr Topp was then promoted through the ranks to Flight Sergeant, and in October 2000 during his posting to the Directorate of Personnel Airmen, he was commissioned to the Personnel Capability Officer category.

Mr Topp has been deployed overseas twice to the Middle East. Firstly, in 1983 he was deployed to the Australian Contingent Multinational Force Observers Sinai, and then again in 2008 where he was deployed to Joint Task Force 633 Headquarters in Iraq.

He was then transferred to the Active Reserve in November 2015 due to reaching the compulsory age of retirement, and then retired from the Air Force Reserves in June 2021.

Due to his commitments at next week’s Dawn Service in Melbourne, Mr Topp said he will miss this year’s Anzac Day service at Torquay’s Point Danger Memorial, which he says is a spectacular occasion on the national scale.

“Anzac Day in Torquay is the second largest commemoration in Victoria and the largest in the state outside of Melbourne,” Mr Topp said.

“I won’t see it this year, but I’ve seen 15,000 people in Torquay for the Dawn Service, and there’s nothing better in the world, than seeing the sun come up over Point Danger during the service.

“It’s just an incredible experience, the people of Torquay and the surrounding areas are extremely generous, and that helps make the service like no other, apart from Gallipoli and Villers-Bretonneux in my opinion.”

Torquay RSL has already begun its annual badge sale with all proceeds going towards welfare for veterans.

Residents can support the RSL by purchasing a badge from Bunnings and Woolworths in North Torquay on Saturday and Sunday, Coles Torquay Village and Woolworths Central (outside Specsavers) on Monday and Wednesday.

Services to take place across the Surf Coast include:
– Anglesea: 9.45am march from McMillan Street to Murray Street, followed by 10am service at the Anglesea Memorial Hall.
– Lorne: 7am service Anzac Memorial Park, followed by gunfire breakfast at Lorne Bowls Club car park. 10.45am march from Lorne Visitor Information Centre to commemorative service at Anzac Memorial Park.
– Torquay: 5.45am service at Point Danger, followed by gunfire breakfast.
– Winchelsea: 10.30am service and wreath laying at Winchelsea Reserve, RSL clubrooms.