“In every town and city, people rejoiced at the end of ‘the war to end all wars’ and the beginning of a new chapter in Australia’s history that we would forever celebrate on November 11,” Chester Hill-Carramar RSL sub-branch Secretary Lloyd Newman said of the origins of Remembrance Day.
They even kept the pubs and the liquor stores closed that day so things didn’t really get out of hand.
“In many ways, Australia in the interim years was a nation in mourning as they still had to arrange the huge task of bringing troops home, an exercise that would take nearly a year,” Mr Newman said.
The poppy is the symbol of Remembrance Day because it was the first flower to bloom on the Western Front – a 400-plus mile stretch of land weaving through France and Belgium from the Swiss border to the North Sea – after fighting had finished.
Remembrance Day was first observed in 1919 throughout the British Commonwealth as well as France, Belgium and Poland, and is still a national holiday in Canada.
It was originally called ‘Armistice Day’ but a bill was introduced to change the name to the more meaningful ‘Remembrance Day’ – and cover all former and present soldiers – in 1930.
“History is incredibly important and it is vital younger generations appreciate there were people who fought to protect their way of life,” Mr Newman said.
“If those sacrifices were not made, our country could be very different now and certainly not one where its citizens enjoy freedom.
“Celebrating Remembrance Day is as important now as it ever was.”
Though not having a public service this year over Covid concerns, Mr Newman said his sub-branch along with Bass Hill sub-branch, would have a private ceremony that would be broadcast to schools and nursing homes from 10.45am on Thursday.
