How to show your support on ANZAC Day

THE war in Ukraine has brought home for many what can happen when diplomatic efforts fail or are rejected and nations resort to the military alternative, either by choice or necessity.

But spare a thought for those who found themselves caught up in the Gallipoli conflict of 1915.

Between April 25, 1915 and January 1916, nine short months, almost 400,000 soldiers were killed or wounded on the Allies' side and among the Turks and Arabs - a mind-numbing toll.

The total number of military and civilian casualties in World War I, was around 40 million. There were 20 million deaths and 21 million wounded. The total number of deaths includes 9.7 million military personnel and about 10 million civilians.

Most of the 416,809 Australians who enlisted for service in the First World War, representing 38.7% of the male population aged 18 to 44, felt compelled to go but few had any idea what they were getting themselves in for.

While social media and the immediacy of global news is able to expose the atrocities taking place on a daily even hourly basis in the Ukraine, almost no one knew the scale of the disaster taking place in WW1 until well afterwards. Enough to say that the average age of those who served for Australia in WW1 and died was 24 - lest we forget!

Here's how you can show your support for those who have volunteered or were conscripted as Australian service personnel on ANZAC Day Monday, April 25.

• BASS: BASS Valley Friends of the RSL are holding a dawn service on Mon- day, April 25, commencing at  6am at the cenotaph on Hade Avenue, Bass. This will be followed by a gun fire breakfast at George Bass Hotel, Hade Avenue, Bass. All are invited to lay a wreath or flowers.
• COWES: PHILLIP Island RSL will commence ANZAC Day ceremonies with a dawn service at the Cowes cenotaph starting at 6am sharp, Monday, April 25. A march assembly will then follow, with a muster at 10.30am for a 10.40am march at St Philips Anglican Church, Thompson Avenue. This will then conclude with an 11am service also at the Cowes cenotaph. Veterans requiring transport can contact welfare ser- vices on 5952 1004.
• FISH CREEK: THERE will be a 10.30am march from the Fish Creek RSL. The service starts at 11am at the Remembrance Garden (the rock). Members will then go back to the RSL.
• FOSTER: THERE is a 10.45am formation march from the museum near Pearl Park to the Cenotaph on the corner of Main Street and Station Road. There will be an 11am service at the Cenotaph.
• INVERLOCH: INVERLOCH RSL welcomes all for its ANZAC Day ceremony to be held on Monday, April 25. There will be a dawn service at 6am at the Inverloch RSL, followed by a gunfire breakfast provided by the Lions Club (gold coin donation). At 10.45am, there will be a Veterans March along A’Beckett Street. The ceremony will be conducted outdoors at the cenotaph at 11am, with guest speaker Newhaven Primary School captain Jasmine Sullivan.
• KORUMBURRA: SATURDAY, April 23: Korumburra Football/Netball club at the showgrounds. Early evening, all welcome. Monday, April 25: Dawn Service at the Korumburra cenotaph (Queen Street), gather at 5.45am. Mid-morning service, again at the cenotaph, 10.15am. These services will be supported by Korumburra Primary School Singers, South Gippsland Concert Band and the Royal Australian Navy with an anticipated Royal Australian Air force flypass. Tuesday, April 26: Korumburra RSL will support Korumburra Secondary College, Poowong Consolidated School, St Joseph’s Primary School Korumburra, and Korumburra Primary School.
• LANG LANG: LANG Lang RSL will commence its ANZAC Day dawn service at 6am at 5 Westernport Road, Lang Lang. This will be followed by a march which will include Navy HMAS Cerberus, Lang Lang Scout Group and veterans through the Main Street, concluding with a free breakfast courtesy of the Rotary Club of Koo Wee Rup/Lang Lang.
• LEONGATHA: GATHER at the cenotaph by 5.45am for the dawn service. There will be a light breakfast available at the RSL after the service. There is no march this year due to insufficient band members, but there will be a wreath-laying service at 10.45am. An 11am, a service will  be held in the Memorial Hall, with people welcome back at the RSL after its conclusion. Commander Ian ‘Max’ Speedy, DSC, RAN (retired), will be the guest speaker.
• LOCH: ASSEMBLE at the Loch Memorial cenotaph, 7 Smith Street, at 5.55am for the dawn service. There will also be a 10.30am service at the cenotaph, with guest speaker Cr Mick Felton. Organisations and groups are encouraged to lay a floral tribute.
• MEENIYAN: Assemble at the cenotaph on Whitelaw Street at 9.15am for a 9.30am march. There will be a marching contingent of sailors from HMAS Cerberus. The guest speaker is WOB D Walker, RAN, ADF, HMAS Cerberus. After the service, attendees are welcome at the Meeniyan Hall for morning tea provided by the CWA.
• MIRBOO NORTH: GATHER at the war memorial in Baromi Park at 6.30am for the dawn service. Following the service, breakfast will be served in the RSL Hall. A 10am service will be held at the Mirboo North Secondary College auditorium.
• SAN REMO: THERE will be an ANZAC Day service at 11am at the cenotaph.
• TARWIN LOWER: THIS year’s ANZAC Day Service will be held from noon at the Tarwin Lower cenotaph (beside the CFA). The Wonthaggi Brass Band and students from the Tarwin Lower Primary School will once again take part in the ceremony.
• WONTHAGGI: THE dawn service will be at 5.55am at the Wonthaggi cenotaph, followed by a gunfire breakfast at the RSL. March to depart from RSL at 9.45am to the cenotaph for the main service at 10am.
• WOOREEN: A SERVICE will be conducted at the ‘Wooreen Shrine of Remembrance’ on the corner of Wooreen-Mirboo Road and Yarragon Road at 10.30am.