On Anzac Day, community members of Moama and surrounding districts gathered at the Moama cenotaph, marking the 111th anniversary since the 1915 Gallipoli landings.
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Community members gathered to honour and commemorate the service and sacrifice of all Australians in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.
The commemorative service, organised by Moama RSL sub-branch, began with a march in which veterans, emergency service personnel and community groups made their way to the cenotaph where the ceremony took place at 9am.
Moama RSL president Leigh Bennett led the service and invited Georgia Armstrong to the front to sing the Anzac version of I am Australian, later performing the Australian and New Zealand national anthems as well.
Mr Bennett then asked attendees to take the time to reflect and remember not only veterans, but the families of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, and to think about the suffering that they also may have felt.
Guest speaker, Australian veteran and ex-commando Damien Thomlinson, who served in Afghanistan, was next to address the crowd with a powerful speech.
Mr Thomlinson spoke at both the Moama dawn and day services, sharing his story about his service in Afghanistan, where he suffered injuries to his legs, resulting in both of them being amputated.
Mr Thomlinson shared with attendees his experiences from a veteran’s perspective and talked about the Anzac spirit.
“Anzac Day, to a veteran, is a day everyone remembers and pays their respect, to the dawn service first thing in the morning... and looking out and knowing that Australia cares about what people were doing,” he said.
“Being in the army was the biggest honour I ever had.”
Echuca College students, Mia Arthurson and Chloe Portwine, read the Anzac Requiem before RSL members, Korean Veterans Association and other community groups laid wreaths.
Mr Bennett recited The Ode before The Last Post played, followed by a minute’s silence and a closing prayer by Father Tink.
Mr Bennett then closed the ceremony by expressing his thanks to the people of the community for their continued support.
Moama RSL sub-branch also held a dawn service, followed by a gunfire breakfast.
The Riv went along to capture the commemorative day service: