Thursday,
21 November 2024
Lone Pine for Victoria Park

Forbes RSL Sub Branch invites community members to gather at the Cenotaph this Remembrance Day for a service to remember those who died or suffered in wars or conflicts.

During the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month we come together for a minute of silence.

This day marks the anniversary of the Armistice which ended the First World War (1914-18).

Representatives of France, Britain and Germany signed a document at 5am on November 11, 1918 that put an end to four years of conflict.

Six hours after the document was signed, at 11am, the signatures brought into effect the Armistice that ended WW1.

People rejoiced and celebrated the news across the world, including Australia with school, church and fire station bells ringing around the country despite the late hour of the day, waking hundreds to share the news that war was over.

Amidst the excitement, the nation was grieving: more than 60,000 Australian soldiers had made the ultimate sacrifice.

Over 150,000 Australian soldiers were also wounded or taken prisoner and around 23,000 soldiers were missing.

There were only a few Australian families who did not have some link to the war.

Another six months passed before the treaty of Versailles was signed in June 1919 for exhausted troops to return home to their loved ones.

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Despite retuning home, many never truly left the horror of the battlefields behind.

Remembrance Day services are a tradition still honoured today as we remember all who have served in the Australian Defence Force, in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations since.

On Remembrance Day you can expect to see red poppies being worn in remembrance, and flags flying at half-mast from 10:30 to 11:03am.

Hundreds of services will take place at Sub Branches across the country this Remembrance Day.

If you can't attend a service, there are other way to commemorate Remembrance Day, you can pause for a minute's silence wherever you are or watch the service online.

Commemorations at Forbes will commence at 10am with the the planting of a Lone Pine in Victoria Park, adjacent to the Cenotaph.

The seed is a direct descendant of a pine cone found by a digger at the Lone Pine battle site in 1915, sent home to his mother in memory of his brother who died in service.

From one of these cones, several seeds were propagated and successfully raised as seedlings.

The Remembrance Day service conducted by Forbes RSL Sub Branch will follow, commencing about 10:45am.

This service will include laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph, with senior students from Forbes High School and Red Bend Catholic College to read the names of the fallen.

The service will conclude with the observation of silence at 11am.