Anzac spirit shines

By Melissa Grant
THE Anzac spirit is truly alive in Pakenham, with record 1,000 plus crowd turning out for the town’s dawn service on Saturday.
And members of Pakenham’s RSL sub-branch are quietly confident the spirit won’t die, as the large gathering included many school-age children.
President Ray Caldwell said the turnout was impressive considering the weather, and was pleased that local students played a large role in the service.
“We’re asking as an RSL that people come and pay their respects and they’re doing it – in bulk,” he said.
Beaconhills College army cadets led the way, while Scouts and Guides were also involved.
Many students laid wreaths as a sign of respect and appreciation to those before them who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Guest speakers described the Anzac spirit as a quality etched into the Australian psyche.
Salvation Army Captain Phil Shelton, who spoke at the cenotaph, named courage, commitment and sacrifice as the three qualities which had shaped the nation.
Mr Shelton emphasised the importance of honouring those who had served the country.
“Today, we shouldn’t only be proud for those Anzacs … but we should also be very proud of the jobs they (servicepeople) have done and continue to do,” he said.
“I know that the Anzac spirit will live on in our nation for years to come.”
Mr Shelton said the Lord’s Prayer before locals had a chance to lay wreaths. Graham Treloar’s rendition of the Last Post and a minute’s silence was followed by a traditional gunfire breakfast in the Pakenham Hall.
While patrons enjoyed the 800-odd snags on offer, McMillan MP Russell Broadbent spoke about the nation’s suffering – not only through war but natural disaster.
Mr Broadbent said a 70-year-old friend sought his help last week when trying to build a farm fence for the first time.
“He said: ‘I’m so glad I wasn’t burnt out’. Then he started to cry,” Mr Broadbent said.
“He cried not for himself but for the grief people were feeling in his district.”
While the grief was a result of the Black Saturday firestorm, Mr Broadbent said servicemen and women, and their families, had also suffered the same anguish and heartache.
“There is not one family, not one group that is not touched in some way through what this nation has suffered,” he said.
Eastern Victoria MP Edward O’Donohue said it was important to recognise those who put their lives on the line for the sake of the nation.
“Those who have gone before us should not be forgotten,” he said.
Cardinia Shire councillor Brett Owen spoke about how young some Australians were when they enlisted for war.
This included Pakenham RSL Sub-Branch vice-president Norm Joseph who signed up as a 15-year-old after weeks of begging his mother to sign the necessary paperwork.
Cr Owen said Mr Joseph’s story was a common one, with many underage soldiers concealing their date of birth.
Despite their age, those soldiers played a pivotal role in securing the freedoms we have today.
“It’s important we remember Norm, and people like Norm, for the sacrifices they made for freedoms we take for granted,” Cr Owen said.