Morwell RSL president Bruce Jeffrey led the dawn service at the intersection of Elgin and Tarwin streets, where about 500 people circled the cenotaph to remember the fallen.
The flags flown at half-mast were still in the quiet morning as residents of Morwell gathered from 5.45am.
Mr Jeffrey encouraged the crowd to reflect on the eight months Australian and New Zealand troops fought in the Gallipoli’s “disastrous campaign” where the Diggers landed at Anzac Cove on April 25, 1915.
“At that time Australia had only been a federal commonwealth for 14 years,” Mr Jeffrey said.
Mr Jeffrey read the Anzac Requiem, prompting people to remember “those who lie in unknown resting places in almost every land”.
After the Last Post he read a heartfelt letter from his daughter Major Wendy Jeffrey, who is deployed in the Middle East with the Australian Army.
Mr Jeffrey urged people not to forget “what our young people are doing at this moment” in current conflicts.
“I think the people of Morwell are very proud of our veteran community,” he said.
“Anzac Day is a very special day for Australians.”
It was a full house in Traralgon as hundreds of people turned up for the Anzac dawn service at the Kay Street cenotaph.
Families with children in tow, veterans, and some young people all braved the 6am service to pay their respects to Australia’s fallen and surviving heroes.
Traralgon RSL president Ron Culliver said hundreds of people gathered as early as 5.30am with the car park at the Traralgon shopping centre and around Ryan’s Hotel jam-packed before the service started.
“It’s probably one of the biggest turnouts we had,” he said.
“I just think it’s a sign of respect from everybody for the Diggers who put their life [on the line] for their country at various times, the ones who did come home and the ones who didn’t come home,” Mr Culliver told The Express.
The dawn service was followed by the annual Anzac Day parade that began on Hotham St and ended at the cenotaph on Kay Street.
Handmade poppies knitted by members of the Yallourn North community formed a walkway to the war memorial for the wreath-bearers at the 9am Anzac Day service on Reserve Street.
Yallourn North resident Linda Hall coordinated the event where about 100 people heard the soft voices of Yallourn North Primary School students as they sang the hymn, Abide By Me, and both the Australian and New Zealand national anthems.
Yallourn North Action Group member Robert Gaulton read the Lord’s Prayer and led reflection on the saying ‘there are no atheists in foxholes’.
Mr Gaulton said Christianity had a more central place in the community in past eras when soldiers would go into battle armed with “more than weaponry”.
Yallourn North resident Ray Mackie was the guest speaker, who reminisced about his personal military connection.
“The different army bases I’ve served on have always had a different way of doing the dawn service but it always was done well before dawn,” Mr Mackie said.
“At Pucka[punyal] in the early ’80s it was the march off to the sound of blank ammunition being fired from machine guns and rifles and mock explosions going off.
“In Melbourne, lining up as a brigade marching from Bourke Street to the shrine, dodging the horse poo on the way.”
With the Defence Force in their blood, father/daughter duo Cliff Jamieson and Michelle Quinn emphasised the importance of the Anzac spirit in everyday acts of heroism at the Newborough Anzac Day parade and wreath-laying service.
The event drew large crowds as Defence Force representatives, veterans, local cadets, Scouts, Girl Guides, students, and even a donkey, marched to the cenotaph opposite the Newborough/Yallourn RSL building.
Newborough/Yallourn RSL president Cliff Jamieson wore medals from two of the conflicts he served in, including the Malaysian conflict and the Vietnam war.
Mr Jamieson said it brought a tear to his eye watching so many young people and community representatives lay wreaths at the cenotaph.
“I think children should know about Anzacs …war is not a very nice thing but it is part of our history,” he said.
“A lot of people think about war, but the military does a lot of other things, like when a cyclone goes through a country or something like that, they supply the medical ships.
“We’re not just talking about war, they do a fantastic time in peace time as well.”
Mr Jamieson’s daughter, Australian Airforce leading aircraft woman Michelle Quinn featured as guest speaker at the service, and highlighted the example of Simpson and his donkey
“Above all, the Anzacs valued mateship. This quality was so important to the Anzacs that a man would die for his mates,” she said.
“These qualities of bravery, compassion, mateship, endurance and self-sacrifice were never more evident than Simpson and his donkey. Simpson tirelessly rescued dozens of men on his donkey, bravely walking through shellfire to rescue his fellow Anzacs.
“It just keeps growing, it is bigger every year”.
The early morning start certainly didn’t deter many passionate Moe and district residents, with a large crowd gathered around the cenotaph to honour returned and fallen service men and women.
Moe RSL secretary Hugh Falls said the turnout at the dawn service and hot breakfast, provided by the RSL, was “brilliant” and a testament to the community.
“Regardless of the weather, people turn out,” he said.
“It just keeps growing.”
Eager to help out, the Moe Scouts were on hand to serve breakfast.
Club president Nyree Dewis said it was a great opportunity for the Scouts to give back to the community and also learn about the importance of Anzac Day.
“It teaches them knowledge that not all kids know these days, about who the Diggers are, the meaning of Anzac and it gets them out in the community and meeting new people,” she said.
“People love it, they love seeing the kids out there.
“They might be a bit slower than the adults serving the food, but people know that they are doing it to serve the community.”
Ms Dewis said the Scouts had arrived the evening before the service to help set up and were at the service early to get ready.
“It was pouring last year and not one of the cubs or scouts complained,” she said.
“It helps with their badge work and gets them out in the community.”
The sound of a light shot from the historic Walhalla cannon bellowed through the valley as the sun rose yesterday to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.
It followed three rifle shots after the Last Post as people from across southern Victoria made their way to the idyllic town to pay respect to the countries’ fallen veterans.
Families from Fitzroy, Pakenham, Leongatha and several other suburbs around Melbourne attended the town’s dawn service.
Former Richmond and Collingwood footballer turned AFL commentator Brian Taylor was present at the service with his family before leaving to call the traditional Anzac Day AFL clash at the MCG.
“We’ve been coming here for 30 years. We have a house here so we’re very fond of the community,” Mr Taylor told The Express.
“It’s vitally important to attend these services, particularly for the younger kids to show them what it’s about and to get them to understand.
“A little look into history is always good because not everyone can get to the big congregations and ceremonies in Melbourne and the local bigger towns like Moe and Traralgon so this is a nice fit in the middle of all of that.”
Emcee Barrie Seear, a third generation Walhalla resident, spoke candidly about what caused the Gallipoli conflict shortly before the wreath laying ceremony commenced.
A gunfire breakfast prepared by local Scouts was provided following the service which was attended by about 300 people.
Three men who served in the Boer War were remembered at Willow Grove’s morning service as about 60 of the townsfolk turned out to pay homage to the town’s fallen veterans.
Trafalgar-Thorpdale RSL sub-branch affiliate vice president Russell Mack reflected on the journey of the three men, Captain George John Bell, Lieutenant William Robert Bell and Private John William Fechner.
Both William and George enlisted at Tanjil South, under the former Shire of Narracan, while John – a Willow Grove resident – joined the 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles Contingent and returned to Australia in January, 1900.
The other two men also returned following the war but perhaps the most harrowing tale was that of Robert who went onto serve under the British government as district commissioner on the island of Malaita in the Solomon Islands.
The crowd heard how he, along with a cadet and 15 natives, was murdered on the the island by the chief of a bush native tribe in 1927.
The reading of the names of the 11 men on the cenotaph in Willow Grove’s main street was done by 11-year-old Willow Grove Primary School student Ruby Mether.
A handful of wreaths was laid during the 20-minute service including one laid by Willow Grove Lions Club member Carol Summersgill on behalf of the township.
About 300 people turned up to commemorate Anzac Day in Churchill, in what was the town’s third annual service.
Representatives including local schools, service clubs, the RSL, Indigenous community members and armed and emergency services gathered for the ceremony.
Hazelwood Rotary Club president Leo Billington said this year’s service highlights included a fly-over with three Latrobe Valley Aero Club pilots flying small aircraft over the service.
The pilots had taken off from Latrobe Regional Airport and flew across Glengarry before soaring over Churchill at 9.15am, helping to honour the air forces’ contribution to Australia’s war effort.
Mr Billington said this year organisers included a gunfire breakfast.
Morwell RSL sub-branch vice president Don George led the service, along with special guests and speakers.
Indigenous guests Christine and Hollie Johnson also spoke about Aboriginal people’s efforts in the war.
Mr Billington said Churchill held its own Anzac service in 2016, in conjunction with the town’s 50th anniversary and he was pleased with yesterday morning’s turnout.
“Churchill is a town with a heart and soul and it is entitled to be a part of this solemn occasion that should not be forgotten,” he said.
The Yinnar and district community gathered before the break of day for the town’s Anzac Day dawn service and a gunfire breakfast at the Yinnar RSL sub-branch.
About 120 people came to hear Vietnam veteran Robert Lowick give his address in honour of those who fought at Gallipoli and in subsequent wars.
“Anzac Day is not owned by the RSL or Latrobe City. It is owned by you, the people of the community. We are the custodians of this commemoration,” Mr Lowick said in his address.
“Australian service personnel are still at this moment putting their lives on the line in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Middle East, and in peacekeeping operations all over the world as we speak.”
Yinnar and District Lions Club secretary Herb Smith said he was pleased to see people from outer areas such as Boolarra gather at the dawn service.
The community later assembled for a 9am march down the main street to the town cenotaph, where they laid wreaths and then moved into the hall for a memorial service.
Mr Smith said the service was important to the Yinnar community, in which none of its volunteers returned from Gallipoli.
“They were all killed in action. This is one of the reasons why we get such a strong attendance here at the dawn service, and the march,” Mr Smith said.
