A crowd of more than 120 people assembled in the Bruthen Main Street Gardens at the Cenotaph at 5.50am to participate in the ANZAC Day Dawn Service Commemoration.
This was a true country and community event with participation by the two local schools and local volunteers to assist with proceedings. The commemoration began with a music reflection to set the scene and allow all to arrive for the main ceremony.
Proceedings started with a reading of the modified Requiem by Alan Jones who saw service in Timor Leste and the Solomon Islands.
James Nicholas (Iraq, Afghanistan and Solomon Islands veteran) provided a brief speech on the key events of what occurred at ANZAC and what it means to us all as Australians.
Of note were the sacrifices of the bygone generation, where across Australia nearly one in four soldiers, sailors or airmen did not return to their families, instead laying in the fields where they fell.
Sue Smith (former Royal Australian Navy), then read the Ode from the fourth stanza of the poem For the Fallen.
An important part of the commemoration was participation by both local primary schools. This year Lylah Cerda from Tambo Upper Primary School had the honour of flag duties and Jack Bittner from Bruthen Primary read The Oath, which is a declaration of respect and gratitude for ADF members and their families.
The Last Post was sounded by Angela McStephen who made the trip from Melbourne. The service concluded with prayers from Chaplain Brian from the local St Matts Church (Anglican Parish of Tambo).
As sunrise dawned the service drew to a close and was then followed by an informal gunfire breakfast for those assembled.
