Lest we forget: Cobram and surrounds remember the fallen on ANZAC Day

More than a thousand locals gathered in the crisp morning air at 6am as the traditional dawn service was held at the Cobram and District War Memorial.

Cobram Anglican Grammar School captains Madison McDiarmid and Thomas Corso led the dawn service proceedings while fellow student Lewis Brown played The Last Post and piper Gavin Davey played a tune that was both sombre and stirring.

Cobram Catholic priest Fr Junjun Amaya opened and closed the service with a prayer, with Cobram and Barooga RSL sub-branch president Barry Clarke laying a wreath in memory of the fallen.

A catafalque party of currently serving personnel from the Army School of Health stood guard as the ceremony was held.

The corporal who led the personnel was former Cobram local Allie Harvey, who joined the army after being inspired by her grandfather’s service in Vietnam.

After the dawn service, many attendees gathered at the Cobram Civic Centre, where the Sporties Barooga organisation hosted a gunfire breakfast of bacon and egg rolls.

At 9.30am, students, veterans, emergency services members and serving military personnel gathered for the traditional Anzac Day march down Punt Rd to the Cobram and District War Memorial.

The march to the memorial, led by personnel from the Army School of Health, sparkled with the sun shining on the various military medals pinned proudly on chests.

The guest speaker for the 10am ceremony was Cobram’s own Royal Australian Navy Commodore Ashley Papp.

Commodore Papp’s speech paid tribute to the servicemen and women who came before him and acknowledged the contribution of the Australian community in supporting the military from back home.

“Australia’s naval power at sea comes from its strength at home,” he said.

“I am proud to be an Australian sailor, and I am proud to serve you (the public).”

As per tradition, wreaths were laid by representatives of various groups, including the RSL, CAGS, Moira and Berrigan shire councils, Cobram Secondary College, Cobram police and various sporting groups.

Moira Shire Council chair of the panel administrators John Tanner said it was always important to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice and that he was delighted with the turnout, especially among Cobram’s youth.

A fly-by was performed, and The Last Post’s solemn tunes once again rang out across central Cobram.

Speaking after the ceremony, Cpl Harvey said Anzac Day was a day to remember with gratitude those who fought for the freedoms enjoyed today.

“ANZAC Day is a day not only where we are able to appreciate how lucky we are for everything that we’ve got but also remember all those that came before us served and fought,” she said.

“We are now the ones out here representing them and trying to make them proud.”

Though the Cobram ANZAC Day services were the biggest ones in the region, the towns of Barooga and Strathmerton also held services.

A ceremony was also held in Katamatite on Wednesday, April 24, which was run by the Katamatite Primary School.