Correspondent Margaret Koch’s Anzac Day
Adelaide River, N.T.
My husband Eric and I were privileged to be at the serenely beautiful Adelaide River War Graves Cemetery for the Anzac Dawn Service this year.
We were also very lucky to have reserved seats near the front for this special service, as it was estimated that up to 2000 people were present.
The Adelaide River Cemetery is the final resting place of 435 military personnel as well as 63 civilians who were killed in the air raids on Darwin in 1942.
Some graves are of unknown soldiers, sailors and airmen who perished during active service. The graves are set in a meticulously kept lawned area surrounded and interspersed with a variety of shrubs and trees, with the Cross of Sacrifice a central focal point.
It is always a beautiful, meaningful and peaceful place that is regularly visited by tourists as well as families from all over the world.
Anzac Day every year brings servicemen and women and their families from far and wide to Adelaide River.
Besides the two major World Wars, Australian servicemen and women from conflicts such as Malaysia, Korea, Vietnam, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as peacekeepers and veterans from allied countries proudly join in Anzac commemoration ceremonies.
There were a few anxious days before the ceremony as a bugler was unavailable. After pleas for help over the Darwin ABC, an 11-year-old girl, Lana Raines from Humpty Doo, answered the call.
She brought a tear to many an eye as she played The Last Post and Reveille without missing a beat. Youth was well to the fore with school students, Billy Swain and Coreena Reeves, reciting the Ode and leading the national anthem.
Following the arrival of the Catafalque Party and laying of a large number of wreaths, His Honour, Tom Pauling AO QC, Administrator of the Northern Territory, local MP Robert Knight, and Group Captain Forster Breckenridge, Commanding Officer 44 Wing, were guest speakers and RAAF Chaplain Mark Dickens conducted prayers and the Benediction.
At the conclusion of the ceremony a local, Bruce Jones, read a moving poem Mates, before most of the service personnel and a large proportion of the crowd went to the Adelaide River Show Society grounds for their traditional free Anzac Day breakfast.
Adelaide River’s small local community puts on a really magnificent meal in a remarkably efficient manner each year, catering for well over 1000 people every time.
There was an interesting and informative display of memorabilia about the major part Adelaide River played in World War II with graphic photographs and descriptions of just what it was like during that horrific time when Australia was invaded by the Japanese.
A time honored tradition was followed with games of Two-Up being played by enthusiastic starters, many for the first time and others as an integral part of Anzac Day.
It was a really special Anzac Day for us, as our daughter, Debbie, lives in Adelaide River and has told us about this special day for a long time.
It was interesting to watch how this small community, in which she plays an active part, cope with such a huge influx of military personnel, government officials and the general public every year, as well as host such a meaningful Anzac Day service at such a historic place.
PHOTO: DAY TO REMEMBER...Eric Koch, of Booleroo Centre, looking at some of the excellent display of the impact of World War II in the Adelaide River area.
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