ANZAC DAY SERVICE AT GERROA

MORE than 150 people braved inclement weather at Gerroa Boat Fishermans club yesterday morning for the traditional ANZAC Day dawn service, paying tribute to the selfless service given by generations of young Australians who lost their lives defending their country.

Major Gary Craig, of the Salvation Army led the 33rd annual Gerroa service by calling on all present to remember with gratitude the people who have given and those that are still giving all that is theirs to give in order that the world be a better place in which to live.

On this day 91 years ago, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, at Gallipoli, made immortal the name of ANZAC and established an imperishable tradition of selfless service, of devotion to duty and of fighting for all that is best in human relationships, he said.

Let us dedicate ourselves to taking up the burdens of the fallen, and with the same high courage and steadfastness with which they went into battle, set our hands to the tasks they left unfinished.

Let us dedicate ourselves to the service of the ideals for the world they would have wished it to be, a better and happier place for all of its people, through whatever means possible to us.

Wreaths were laid by representatives from local service clubs to honour and commemorate the fallen as the flag was lowered to half mast.

Member of the Nowra Salvation Army band Peter Williams performed a stirring rendition of The Last Post, played on an original World War One bugle.

Former Rat of Tobruk, Harry Morris described the service as terrific saying he had been commemorating ANZAC day in Gerroa for over 40 years.

We started doing it on the beach years ago. We used to get up early and have a service to remember a lot of our mates who didnt come home and then we would go fishing afterwards, he said.

This day means a lot to us. I used to raise and lower the flag for about 25 years here at this service. It is a very special day. It is a day I always make sure to enjoy with my family.

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