27 April 1956
PROTECT ANZAC DAY FROM THE WOULD-BE PROFIT MAKERS-“Let us protect Anzac Day from those who would turn it to money-making . . . remember that first Anzac Day . . . the thousands who died without a grave,” said Cr. W. E. Roff at Creswick on Wednesday morning, taking his hearers with him on a tour of the war graves in Europe.
He spoke to probably the biggest gathering Creswick town hall has held on an Anzac Day, for extra seating had to be brought in as the crowd packed the hall.
IMPRESSIVE MARCH TO MEMORIAL-Cr. Roff’s address followed an impressive march – the band, Diggers of both wars (from Creswick, Newlyn, Smeaton and Clunes areas), scholars of three elementary schools and VSF and the scouting and guiding members – from Davies Bridge to the memorial column.
At the column they participated in the customary ceremony.
Shire President, Cr. V. G. Mitchell, said, “I think it is wonderful the way you have gathered like this to pay tribute to those who 41 years ago and since in both World Wars and other fields, gave their lives that we might have freedom today . . . to pay tribute also to those who have their services in war and were yet able to come back to us. So might we always remember.”
FROM THE PEOPLE-Cr. Mitchell placed on the memorial the council’s wreath on behalf of the people of Creswick shire and there followed, in groups, wreaths on behalf of Creswick, Smeaton, Newlyn and Clunes RSSAILA sub-branches, the auxiliaries of Creswick, Newlyn and Smeaton sub-branches, Creswick RSL Younger Set, Creswick Red Cross, the scouts, cubs, Guides and brownies, School of Forestry, Band, Creswick, North Creswick and St. Augustine’s schools.
Bandmaster Felstead played the Last Post as the silent tribute closed.
Church ministers and Salvation Army officers assisted the Shire President to conduct the service in the town hall, the band playing for the singing of the hymns.
SINISTER MOVE-“Mr. R. T. White remarked to me a few minutes back that he knows no place where Anzac is better observed than here,” said Mr. Roff. “That is commendable for there is a sinister move to upset this Anzac Day.
“You may have seen approach to the government for a race meeting; that would be the thin edge of the wedge for private enterprise to make money out of Anzac Day.
“Has the lottery been the solution to our hospital finances as we were told? No it has not. Our hospitals are in dire straits just the same, despite the advent of Tattersall’s.
SAFE AT PRESENT-“For the time, ANZAC Day is safe; the Government will not change it without a request from the RSL. But Governments change. . . . “
The original ANZAC's are going fast as the ranks of the old Diggers thin out each year – so for the benefit of the children he set out to recall the first ANZAC Day.
For the new Diggers of 1939-45 will keep the spirit of ANZAC but they have other battles to think of: El Alemein, Alexandria (“where would we have been but for our new Digger’ standing there?”), the Islands, the air men to think of the Battle of Britain, the POW’s to think of their camps and tortures.
TO THE CHILDREN-“But the old Digger,” he said, “and the new Digger, will pass and so we look to the children.
That was why he wanted to take them back to 1914 and 1915. War had been declared by Germany and Austria on Russia and cut Russia off from the west. Then Germany tore up their pact and drove into Belgium. Britain found it important to get into Russia.
“Gallipoli is looked on as a glorious failure but had it succeeded, it would have saved thousands of lives,” Cr. Roff said.
So an attempt was made to take Gallipoli and open up the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmora to give access to Russia.
FIRST ANZAC DAY-French and British were there but the main task was placed on the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (A.N.Z.A.C.) to make that landing on April 25, 1915.
Many of them were killed before they could get out of the boats, many died in the water – yet the corps made that landing in the face of all the shot and shell the Turks and Germans could pour onto them – made the landing and held that strip for eight months.
“It ranks as an incomparable feat in British history,” said Cr. Roff, “and the A.N.Z.A.C. name has come down the years for forty years and more.”
Had the campaign succeeded in opening up access to Russia, the war would have been shortened by two years, he said.
But the AIF and the New Zealanders (withdrawn from Gallipoli) went to France where thousands of them and thousands of their allies were to die.
“I went back not so long ago to see France, France was wonderful to see in ideal conditions – it was, of course, no longer as I pictured it,” said Cr. Roff.
“On Vimy Ridge a chapel has been built – it seems incredible but 100,000 soldiers were buried at Vimy Ridge.
GRAVES CARED FOR-“At Arras I saw a slab with 40 names on it. We thought we finished with this thing forty years ago but those names were citizens who were put to death by the Germans because they helped British airmen in World War II.
“Any of you who have a relative buried in France, I can assure you the War Graves Commission has done a marvellous job. I saw the cemeteries and they are beautiful gardens.
SURELY YOU DON’T WANT RACE MEETING TO BE HELD ON ANZAC DAY!-In his ANZAC address at Creswick on Wednesday, Cr. Roff had been telling his big audience of the thousands of Australian dead who lie in graves known and graves unknown, in Gallipoli, France, Belgium . . . .
He was making the point: “ANZAC Day is in memory of these men and those who died on later fields – surely you don’t want their memorial day to be just another race day!”
Cr. Roff had just told his hearers about the beautiful way war graves have been cared for and he went on to say:
“I went to a little place where your Arthur New (of North Creswick) and I took one of our chaps to be buried. I found the cemetery easily though it was in the middle of a crop which grew right up to the four walls-and amid all this, that cemetery, too was a beautiful garden.”
And so Mr. Roff went on through places well known to the old Digger-Menin Gate (65,000 names on the memorial), Hellfire Corner (no danger there now, only fast moving cars), Hill 60, Pesschendale, Villers Brettoneux (11,000 names of Australians alone with no known burial ground).
Cemetery after cemetery he mentioned with the inevitable back wall listing names of soldiers (Australians included) with no known burial ground.
‘-AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO RUN A RACE MEETING ON ANZAC DAY!” HE SAID.
He visited the original Talbot House (Toc H. signallers pronounced the initials for clarity) at Poperinghe and the country around Ypres. (The Last Post is sounded under the great arch of the Menin Gate every night-in summer at 9, in winter at 8-by two or three Belgian workmen in perpetual memory of the British dead).
THEY STAYED: DEAD-At Talbot House he discovered a crumpled piece of paper preserved behind glass. It was the actual order issued to a section of Australian machine gunners, to hold a certain pillbox at all costs.
“If the section cannot remain here alive, it will remain here dead; in any case it will remain . . . ”
ran the order. The expected advance did come. In the counter attack, the pillbox was retaken, The section HAD remained; each man was dead . . . . .
“If ye break faith with them, who died,
We shall not sleep
Where poppies grow
On Flanders Field
WREATHS PLACED ON SOLDIERS’ GRAVES-After the Anzac service at Creswick, RSL members made a pilgrimage to the ex-servicemen’s section of Creswick cemetery where they placed wreaths on the graves.
During the service at the town hall, Mr. J. Clohesy, president of Newlyn sub-branch, placed a wreath on the honour roll in the town hall.
After lunch, Creswick, Smeaton and Newlyn members went to Clunes to join in the service there.
PROTECT ANZAC DAY FROM THE WOULD-BE PROFIT MAKERS-“Let us protect Anzac Day from those who would turn it to money-making . . . remember that first Anzac Day . . . the thousands who died without a grave,” said Cr. W. E. Roff at Creswick on Wednesday morning, taking his hearers with him on a tour of the war graves in Europe.
He spoke to probably the biggest gathering Creswick town hall has held on an Anzac Day, for extra seating had to be brought in as the crowd packed the hall.
IMPRESSIVE MARCH TO MEMORIAL-Cr. Roff’s address followed an impressive march – the band, Diggers of both wars (from Creswick, Newlyn, Smeaton and Clunes areas), scholars of three elementary schools and VSF and the scouting and guiding members – from Davies Bridge to the memorial column.
At the column they participated in the customary ceremony.
Shire President, Cr. V. G. Mitchell, said, “I think it is wonderful the way you have gathered like this to pay tribute to those who 41 years ago and since in both World Wars and other fields, gave their lives that we might have freedom today . . . to pay tribute also to those who have their services in war and were yet able to come back to us. So might we always remember.”
FROM THE PEOPLE-Cr. Mitchell placed on the memorial the council’s wreath on behalf of the people of Creswick shire and there followed, in groups, wreaths on behalf of Creswick, Smeaton, Newlyn and Clunes RSSAILA sub-branches, the auxiliaries of Creswick, Newlyn and Smeaton sub-branches, Creswick RSL Younger Set, Creswick Red Cross, the scouts, cubs, Guides and brownies, School of Forestry, Band, Creswick, North Creswick and St. Augustine’s schools.
Bandmaster Felstead played the Last Post as the silent tribute closed.
Church ministers and Salvation Army officers assisted the Shire President to conduct the service in the town hall, the band playing for the singing of the hymns.
SINISTER MOVE-“Mr. R. T. White remarked to me a few minutes back that he knows no place where Anzac is better observed than here,” said Mr. Roff. “That is commendable for there is a sinister move to upset this Anzac Day.
“You may have seen approach to the government for a race meeting; that would be the thin edge of the wedge for private enterprise to make money out of Anzac Day.
“Has the lottery been the solution to our hospital finances as we were told? No it has not. Our hospitals are in dire straits just the same, despite the advent of Tattersall’s.
SAFE AT PRESENT-“For the time, ANZAC Day is safe; the Government will not change it without a request from the RSL. But Governments change. . . . “
The original ANZAC's are going fast as the ranks of the old Diggers thin out each year – so for the benefit of the children he set out to recall the first ANZAC Day.
For the new Diggers of 1939-45 will keep the spirit of ANZAC but they have other battles to think of: El Alemein, Alexandria (“where would we have been but for our new Digger’ standing there?”), the Islands, the air men to think of the Battle of Britain, the POW’s to think of their camps and tortures.
TO THE CHILDREN-“But the old Digger,” he said, “and the new Digger, will pass and so we look to the children.
That was why he wanted to take them back to 1914 and 1915. War had been declared by Germany and Austria on Russia and cut Russia off from the west. Then Germany tore up their pact and drove into Belgium. Britain found it important to get into Russia.
“Gallipoli is looked on as a glorious failure but had it succeeded, it would have saved thousands of lives,” Cr. Roff said.
So an attempt was made to take Gallipoli and open up the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmora to give access to Russia.
FIRST ANZAC DAY-French and British were there but the main task was placed on the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (A.N.Z.A.C.) to make that landing on April 25, 1915.
Many of them were killed before they could get out of the boats, many died in the water – yet the corps made that landing in the face of all the shot and shell the Turks and Germans could pour onto them – made the landing and held that strip for eight months.
“It ranks as an incomparable feat in British history,” said Cr. Roff, “and the A.N.Z.A.C. name has come down the years for forty years and more.”
Had the campaign succeeded in opening up access to Russia, the war would have been shortened by two years, he said.
But the AIF and the New Zealanders (withdrawn from Gallipoli) went to France where thousands of them and thousands of their allies were to die.
“I went back not so long ago to see France, France was wonderful to see in ideal conditions – it was, of course, no longer as I pictured it,” said Cr. Roff.
“On Vimy Ridge a chapel has been built – it seems incredible but 100,000 soldiers were buried at Vimy Ridge.
GRAVES CARED FOR-“At Arras I saw a slab with 40 names on it. We thought we finished with this thing forty years ago but those names were citizens who were put to death by the Germans because they helped British airmen in World War II.
“Any of you who have a relative buried in France, I can assure you the War Graves Commission has done a marvellous job. I saw the cemeteries and they are beautiful gardens.
SURELY YOU DON’T WANT RACE MEETING TO BE HELD ON ANZAC DAY!-In his ANZAC address at Creswick on Wednesday, Cr. Roff had been telling his big audience of the thousands of Australian dead who lie in graves known and graves unknown, in Gallipoli, France, Belgium . . . .
He was making the point: “ANZAC Day is in memory of these men and those who died on later fields – surely you don’t want their memorial day to be just another race day!”
Cr. Roff had just told his hearers about the beautiful way war graves have been cared for and he went on to say:
“I went to a little place where your Arthur New (of North Creswick) and I took one of our chaps to be buried. I found the cemetery easily though it was in the middle of a crop which grew right up to the four walls-and amid all this, that cemetery, too was a beautiful garden.”
And so Mr. Roff went on through places well known to the old Digger-Menin Gate (65,000 names on the memorial), Hellfire Corner (no danger there now, only fast moving cars), Hill 60, Pesschendale, Villers Brettoneux (11,000 names of Australians alone with no known burial ground).
Cemetery after cemetery he mentioned with the inevitable back wall listing names of soldiers (Australians included) with no known burial ground.
‘-AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO RUN A RACE MEETING ON ANZAC DAY!” HE SAID.
He visited the original Talbot House (Toc H. signallers pronounced the initials for clarity) at Poperinghe and the country around Ypres. (The Last Post is sounded under the great arch of the Menin Gate every night-in summer at 9, in winter at 8-by two or three Belgian workmen in perpetual memory of the British dead).
THEY STAYED: DEAD-At Talbot House he discovered a crumpled piece of paper preserved behind glass. It was the actual order issued to a section of Australian machine gunners, to hold a certain pillbox at all costs.
“If the section cannot remain here alive, it will remain here dead; in any case it will remain . . . ”
ran the order. The expected advance did come. In the counter attack, the pillbox was retaken, The section HAD remained; each man was dead . . . . .
“If ye break faith with them, who died,
We shall not sleep
Where poppies grow
On Flanders Field
WREATHS PLACED ON SOLDIERS’ GRAVES-After the Anzac service at Creswick, RSL members made a pilgrimage to the ex-servicemen’s section of Creswick cemetery where they placed wreaths on the graves.
During the service at the town hall, Mr. J. Clohesy, president of Newlyn sub-branch, placed a wreath on the honour roll in the town hall.
After lunch, Creswick, Smeaton and Newlyn members went to Clunes to join in the service there.
26 April 1957
INSPIRATION OF ANZAC WILL CONTINUE ON-The spirit of ANZAC will live on, will continue to be an inspiration, so long as this nation lasts, said the Shire President, Cr. E. J. Semmens, speaking at Creswick war memorial column yesterday morning after the Anzac march.
“We meet here today to honour the spirit of ANZAC ” Cr. Semmens said, “to honour the men and women of two world wars who helped to build that spirit. And we pay tribute to those who did not come back-our sympathy goes out to their kinsfolk.”
The march, he recalled, is the symbol of victory and has been through many ages. Over a thousand years ago, the Roman legions had their applause as they made victory marches. Maybe it dates back further to ancient Persia where memorials of the victories were recorded on tablets as the Romans recorded theirs on columns.
“Today the memorial is something more and it is also an altar at which we can pay tribute,” he said.
Though the time will come when none will be left to march, the spirit of Anzac will go on, it will last as long as this nation lasts and it will be an inspiration for the citizens of the future, Cr. Semmens said.
Wreaths were placed on the column on behalf of the Shire of Creswick, the Creswick, Newlyn and Smeaton RSL sub-branches, their auxiliaries and Younger Set, Creswick Red Cross, Scouts, Cubs, Guides, Brownies, Salvation Guards and Sunbeams, Creswick, North Creswick and St. Augustine’s schools, VSF, the Band and other public and private wreaths.
After the sounding of the Last Post following the silent tribute, Creswick Band (which had led the march from Davies bridge) led ex-Servicemen, Scouts, Guides, Sunbeams VSF Students and School Children to the town hall for the combined service.
THESE CHILDREN MUST CARRY THE SPIRIT ON-Giving the Anzac address at the town hall, Brigadier G. E. W. Hurley spoke mainly to the children and of the children , realising it will be they who will carry on or drop the spirit of ANZAC .
So, for the children, he ran over a little of the history of ANZAC .
The British nation was at war and Australia, offering full support, trained young men to a high degree of fitness, gave them leaders chosen from among themselves and sent the army to help Britain.
With British, French and Indian troops and New Zealanders, their first task was to storm the heights of Gallipoli.
Then came the first time we heard the word ANZAC – the initials of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps when men of these two armies formed a remarkable fighting organization which made its name on April 25, 1915.
They stormed their portion of the shore of Gallipoli and held on bravely for some six months.
In that time, the ANZAC's had set a yard stick for the rest of Australia’s warriors to emulate, whether in the Air Force, the Navy or Army. They had done such wonderful deeds, stood up to such privations, that they proved to the world their worth and stamina.
What do we learn form ANZAC ?
We learn they were well trained, well led, in good bodily health, mentally fit, they were unselfish, they built up and relied on comradeship.
Can we take those lessons and bring them into every day life? – the life you children are living today will have its effect on the future.
It means looking after your health, bodily and mentally, becoming well equipped by learning at school. Let all be comradely, observing the “do unto others” and the “help thy neighbor” principles. They were the principles of the ANZAC's and they were the Anzac tradition carried on by our men in the second World War.
He recalled visiting a number of units on the eve of the Bardia attack by the 6th Division in 1941. The men’s big worry was “Will we live up to the tradition of ANZAC?” They did: because they had something to aim at. The men of the 2nd AIF were as good in every way as their forefathers in the first – they had something to aim for.
We keep up Anzac Day in memory of the lives of those who died that we might live our normal and every day way of life – the memory of those who fell, not only at ANZAC but who fell in France and on many battlefields in the second war.
The day was chosen because the first ANZAC Day typified the embodiment of Australian nationhood, the day when Australia’s sons proved the young nation had attained its majority.
“What of the future?” he asked, furthering the remarks of Cr. Semmens at the memorial column. The time would come when these ex–service men could no longer march.
“It will be left to these,” he said, indicating the children, “to see Anzac Day is kept up in proper and fitting spirit. To them we must pass on the charge.”
Give them something of community service to do around ANZAC Day, he suggested, as a way of fostering the community spirit of Anzac. Let us make it a day when we show to the youngsters that the spirit of Anzac embraces comradeship in that way.
“Talking, even as I am doing it now, will not keep up the spirit of ANZAC – we must give them something concrete,” Brigadier Hurley added, urging that someone take up this aspect.
Wreath On Honour Roll-During the service a wreath was placed on the honour roll in the main hall by the president of Smeaton RSL, Mr. A. McKinnon, on behalf of the sub-branches here.
The Shire President was assisted in the service by the Revs. F. H. Symonds and R. J. Shanks, Pastor A. T. Ireland and Major V. Pitman and P. Warr.
Mr. R. T. White, MLA, was invited to join those on the platform with the speaker, Brigadier Hurley.
INSPIRATION OF ANZAC WILL CONTINUE ON-The spirit of ANZAC will live on, will continue to be an inspiration, so long as this nation lasts, said the Shire President, Cr. E. J. Semmens, speaking at Creswick war memorial column yesterday morning after the Anzac march.
“We meet here today to honour the spirit of ANZAC ” Cr. Semmens said, “to honour the men and women of two world wars who helped to build that spirit. And we pay tribute to those who did not come back-our sympathy goes out to their kinsfolk.”
The march, he recalled, is the symbol of victory and has been through many ages. Over a thousand years ago, the Roman legions had their applause as they made victory marches. Maybe it dates back further to ancient Persia where memorials of the victories were recorded on tablets as the Romans recorded theirs on columns.
“Today the memorial is something more and it is also an altar at which we can pay tribute,” he said.
Though the time will come when none will be left to march, the spirit of Anzac will go on, it will last as long as this nation lasts and it will be an inspiration for the citizens of the future, Cr. Semmens said.
Wreaths were placed on the column on behalf of the Shire of Creswick, the Creswick, Newlyn and Smeaton RSL sub-branches, their auxiliaries and Younger Set, Creswick Red Cross, Scouts, Cubs, Guides, Brownies, Salvation Guards and Sunbeams, Creswick, North Creswick and St. Augustine’s schools, VSF, the Band and other public and private wreaths.
After the sounding of the Last Post following the silent tribute, Creswick Band (which had led the march from Davies bridge) led ex-Servicemen, Scouts, Guides, Sunbeams VSF Students and School Children to the town hall for the combined service.
THESE CHILDREN MUST CARRY THE SPIRIT ON-Giving the Anzac address at the town hall, Brigadier G. E. W. Hurley spoke mainly to the children and of the children , realising it will be they who will carry on or drop the spirit of ANZAC .
So, for the children, he ran over a little of the history of ANZAC .
The British nation was at war and Australia, offering full support, trained young men to a high degree of fitness, gave them leaders chosen from among themselves and sent the army to help Britain.
With British, French and Indian troops and New Zealanders, their first task was to storm the heights of Gallipoli.
Then came the first time we heard the word ANZAC – the initials of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps when men of these two armies formed a remarkable fighting organization which made its name on April 25, 1915.
They stormed their portion of the shore of Gallipoli and held on bravely for some six months.
In that time, the ANZAC's had set a yard stick for the rest of Australia’s warriors to emulate, whether in the Air Force, the Navy or Army. They had done such wonderful deeds, stood up to such privations, that they proved to the world their worth and stamina.
What do we learn form ANZAC ?
We learn they were well trained, well led, in good bodily health, mentally fit, they were unselfish, they built up and relied on comradeship.
Can we take those lessons and bring them into every day life? – the life you children are living today will have its effect on the future.
It means looking after your health, bodily and mentally, becoming well equipped by learning at school. Let all be comradely, observing the “do unto others” and the “help thy neighbor” principles. They were the principles of the ANZAC's and they were the Anzac tradition carried on by our men in the second World War.
He recalled visiting a number of units on the eve of the Bardia attack by the 6th Division in 1941. The men’s big worry was “Will we live up to the tradition of ANZAC?” They did: because they had something to aim at. The men of the 2nd AIF were as good in every way as their forefathers in the first – they had something to aim for.
We keep up Anzac Day in memory of the lives of those who died that we might live our normal and every day way of life – the memory of those who fell, not only at ANZAC but who fell in France and on many battlefields in the second war.
The day was chosen because the first ANZAC Day typified the embodiment of Australian nationhood, the day when Australia’s sons proved the young nation had attained its majority.
“What of the future?” he asked, furthering the remarks of Cr. Semmens at the memorial column. The time would come when these ex–service men could no longer march.
“It will be left to these,” he said, indicating the children, “to see Anzac Day is kept up in proper and fitting spirit. To them we must pass on the charge.”
Give them something of community service to do around ANZAC Day, he suggested, as a way of fostering the community spirit of Anzac. Let us make it a day when we show to the youngsters that the spirit of Anzac embraces comradeship in that way.
“Talking, even as I am doing it now, will not keep up the spirit of ANZAC – we must give them something concrete,” Brigadier Hurley added, urging that someone take up this aspect.
Wreath On Honour Roll-During the service a wreath was placed on the honour roll in the main hall by the president of Smeaton RSL, Mr. A. McKinnon, on behalf of the sub-branches here.
The Shire President was assisted in the service by the Revs. F. H. Symonds and R. J. Shanks, Pastor A. T. Ireland and Major V. Pitman and P. Warr.
Mr. R. T. White, MLA, was invited to join those on the platform with the speaker, Brigadier Hurley.
1958
No information available
No information available
1959
No information available
No information available
29 April 1960
Anzac March As Impressive As Ever – The ANZAC March at Creswick remains as impressive as ever, because of the town’s youth organizations.
It was noticeable on Monday, as in the late 1920’s and 1930’s, that the marching “Diggers” thin out from year to year. But the youth organizations, which seem firmly established, offer the veterans strong support.
Also noticeable on Monday was that the general attendance of the public was down a bit on last year’s.
Marshalled by Mr. Fred James, the march was spectacular and the different organizations moved smoothly into their stations at the war memorial in Raglan street where a short address was given by the Shire President, Cr. V. G. Michell.
“We gather here,” said Cr. Michell, “to mark the day when our boys first gained the name of Anzac. The name and tradition has carried over 45 years and we have gone through another war since then.
“May we hope that the peace we live in will become world wide and be lasting. We hope you children will never know war.”
Cr. Michell placed a wreath on the monument on behalf of the people of Creswick shire.
Creswick, Newlyn and Smeaton RSL followed by their respective Women’s Auxiliaries, Creswick RSL Younger Set and Creswick Red Cross were next; Creswick, Boy Scouts and Cubs, Guides and Brownies and Salvation Army Guards and Sunbeams placed wreaths together.
Creswick and North Creswick State Schools and St. Augustine’s school, VSF and Creswick band were other organizations participating.
At the town hall, Mr. J. J. Sheehan gave an address.
The Revs. R. J. Shanks, A. O. Mott, Pastor F. G. Bawden, Capt. E. Waller and Lieut. N. Wingate assisted the Shire President in the service at the town hall.
The Creswick band played for most of the hymns, assisted by Miss Marion Pollard as pianist for one hymn.
The band master, Mr. H. Felstead, played the Last Post.
Mr. F. James assisted at the memorial and at the town hall where Mr. Frank Evans, of Smeaton RSL placed a wreath on the honour board.
Members of the RSL afterwards made a pilgrimage to the soldiers’ graves at Creswick cemetery.
Anzac March As Impressive As Ever – The ANZAC March at Creswick remains as impressive as ever, because of the town’s youth organizations.
It was noticeable on Monday, as in the late 1920’s and 1930’s, that the marching “Diggers” thin out from year to year. But the youth organizations, which seem firmly established, offer the veterans strong support.
Also noticeable on Monday was that the general attendance of the public was down a bit on last year’s.
Marshalled by Mr. Fred James, the march was spectacular and the different organizations moved smoothly into their stations at the war memorial in Raglan street where a short address was given by the Shire President, Cr. V. G. Michell.
“We gather here,” said Cr. Michell, “to mark the day when our boys first gained the name of Anzac. The name and tradition has carried over 45 years and we have gone through another war since then.
“May we hope that the peace we live in will become world wide and be lasting. We hope you children will never know war.”
Cr. Michell placed a wreath on the monument on behalf of the people of Creswick shire.
Creswick, Newlyn and Smeaton RSL followed by their respective Women’s Auxiliaries, Creswick RSL Younger Set and Creswick Red Cross were next; Creswick, Boy Scouts and Cubs, Guides and Brownies and Salvation Army Guards and Sunbeams placed wreaths together.
Creswick and North Creswick State Schools and St. Augustine’s school, VSF and Creswick band were other organizations participating.
At the town hall, Mr. J. J. Sheehan gave an address.
The Revs. R. J. Shanks, A. O. Mott, Pastor F. G. Bawden, Capt. E. Waller and Lieut. N. Wingate assisted the Shire President in the service at the town hall.
The Creswick band played for most of the hymns, assisted by Miss Marion Pollard as pianist for one hymn.
The band master, Mr. H. Felstead, played the Last Post.
Mr. F. James assisted at the memorial and at the town hall where Mr. Frank Evans, of Smeaton RSL placed a wreath on the honour board.
Members of the RSL afterwards made a pilgrimage to the soldiers’ graves at Creswick cemetery.