- Blayney Shire on ANZAC Day -
30.04.2003 20:31:26
Hundreds of Blayney Shire residents turned out on ANZAC Day to cheer on the dwindling numbers of returned service personnel and the growing numbers of friends and relatives who marched with them.
Blayney township saw the largest number of spectators for many years, estimated by Blayney RSL president Neville Adams as over 500.
In the villages of Millthorpe, Carcoar, Lyndhurst and Mandurama the crowds were in each case over 100.
ANZAC Day marchers parade down Park
St in Millthorpe’s first march for 44 years.
Five marches were held across the Shire starting with Millthorpe at 8am.
This was the first march in Millthorpe for 44 years, made possible by a contingent of Lyndhurst RSL Sub-Branch members, led by Blayney Shire councilor and returned serviceman Geoff Braddon.
Millthorpe was the first of four marches the Lyndhurst group made during the day.
At 7.30 Elaine Streatfield and her catering group at Millthorpe`s Golden Memories Museum served up a breakfast of hearty vegetable soup, rolls and tea for the visitors and the Canobolas Pipe Band.
A little over 40 minutes later the Millthorpe march was underway.
Returned service personnel were joined by Millthorpe School children, parents and teachers, Millthorpe Rural Fire Service members in uniform, people carrying wreaths and residents proudly wearing on their right the medals of remembered fathers, grandfathers, uncles, great uncles and perhaps grandmothers and great aunts.
The Lyndhurst contingent also included a member in post-WWII army uniform with Lee Enfield .303 rifle and others in the uniform of WWI light horse troops.
Leading the march and taking up the rear were three WWII restored army vehicles; two Blitz trucks owned by Bob McNeill and Eric Neville`s American Jeep.
The visitors led the parade with an array of Australian, New Zealand and Corp flags and a rarely seen Australian Light Horse Engineers banner.
The swirl of the pipes took the marchers on a short route from the School of Arts in Victoria Street around the corner to the memorial gates at Rodwell Park.
Wreaths were laid, soldiers in uniform reversed arms, a bugler played the last post, a few words were spoken and Millthorpe`s first ANZAC Day celebration since 1959 was over.
The visitors including the band then quickly got back on Jim Newman`s donated buses for the trip to Carcoar where they did it all again.
Following on their heals were the three WWII army vehicles.
At Carcoar the march started a little after 9am at the public school in Icely Street and finished about 700 metres down the road at the village war memorial near the Belubula River bridge. The ceremony was much the same as at Millthorpe accept that retired army nurse Corinna Kelly gave a moving speech about Boer War and WWI army nurse and Carcoar resident Emily Hoadley who at 45 joined the Australian Army Nursing Service on 26 April 1915, the day after the ANZAC cove landing. Ms Kelly presented a booklet containing Emily Hoadley record of service to David Hoadley and his family.
At 10am Mandurama also had a march and ceremony along the same as Millthorpe and Carcoar. Marchers formed up near the railway crossing in Gold Street, stopped briefly at the memorial hall and then marched to war memorial across Mid-Western Highway. At the end of the Mandurama ceremony marchers and band got back on the buses for the their last march of the day at Lyndhurst. The Lyndhurst ceremony was followed by lunch at Sunnyridge Golf Club at Mandurama
Spectators turned out in Blayney in numbers not seen for many years. Between 500 to 600 lined Adelaide Street from the Post Office onwards to Church Street to cheer on Blayney RSL Sub-Branch members and contingents from Blayney High, St Josephs Central School, Blayney Public School and Blayney Swimming Club as they marched without a band to the Memorial gates at Carrington Park in Church Street.
At war memorial Blayney RSL president Neville Adams called individual organizations forward to lay wreaths, the last post was played and Mr Adams thanked Blayney for turning out in such great numbers.
acknowledge:
by Blayney Chronicle
http://blayney.yourguide.com.au
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