CENOTAPHS ACROSS the Tweed Shire will remain silent for Anzac Day on Saturday, April 25, due to the coronavirus pandemic, but several local veterans are encouraging residents to create their own private driveway service in a bid to honour our veterans.
Not since the 1919 Spanish flu outbreak has Anzac Day been cancelled, with many veterans and families left without a means to remember and commemorate those who fought and made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.
Tweed Valley-Murwillumbah Sub-Branch of the National Serviceman’s Association of Australia Secretary Kevin Cheetham said he wanted to encourage residents to host their own solitary or family service known as a “driveway memorial service”.
The Sub-Branch will also offer an unmanned table with free poppies outside the IGA Supermarket on Tweed Valley Way, South Murwillumbah, on Friday, April 24, from 8am to 5pm.
“The free poppies are for anyone wanting to participate (one or two only please) for family members to pause and remember,” he said.
Mr Cheetham said he wanted to encourage other residents to mark Anzac Day by standing at the end of their driveways for a minute’s silence from 6am.
He’s also provided The Weekly readers with a running timetable of how to collectively honour the servicemen and women from all conflicts.
Mr Cheetham said he understood the requirements for no gatherings, but he believes the driveway memorials would send a powerful message of solidarity to Australia’s defence community after Anzac Day services, events and parades were cancelled amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
“We can all safely commemorate a different type of Anzac Day by standing on your driveway from 6am and uniting in the Anzac spirit,” he said.
Mr Cheetham said the idea was developed online and has since taken hold across small communities including several members across the Tweed.
“This is a great way to collectively honour the dedication, commitment and sacrifice of our service people,” he said.
Mr Cheetham said there’s a specific run order for the Anzac Day service which outlines the service requirements including flag raising (if applicable), prayer for the fallen and bugler sounding the Last Post, which can be played via a phone or recording.
“I think this is a great way for families to commemorate Anzac Day without breaching the current lockdown requirements,” he said.
Mr Cheetham said it was important residents notified their neighbours seven days prior to the date with your intention to conduct a private memorial service in your driveway commencing at 6am on Saturday, April 25, to commemorate Anzac Day.
Anzac Day Service Timetable
6am: Flag raising ceremony. The flag is raised to masthead and then returned to half-mast.
6.05am: A Prayer for the Fallen:
“Today we remember with thanksgiving those who made the supreme sacrifice for us in time of war. We pray that the offering of their lives may not have been in vain. Today we dedicate ourselves to the cause of Justice, Freedom and Peace and strength to build a better world”.
6.10am: Play a recording of the bugler sounding the Last Post after which you observe a minutes silence followed by The Ode of Remembrance:
“They should not grow old, as we that are left grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, We will remember them, Lest We Forget.”
6.20am: A silent prayer for the nation to include the present pandemic.
6.30am: Flag is bought back to half-mast until 12pm then raised to masthead for the rest of day.
