2026 Calendar of events
25 April Anzac Day
FFFAIF has traditionally supported AWWOD organising descendants’ participation in the Sydney Anzac Day March.ABC Radio coverage of the Canberra Dawn Service and National Ceremony will be heard on local ABC Radio, RN and on the ABC Listen app from 5.30am – 6.00am. This will incorporate a minute’s silence at approximately 5.50am to synchronise the dawn drive-way vigils.
TV broadcasts of Sydney Dawn Service, Canberra Dawn Service and National Ceremony and Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance Service will all be live from 4.30am AEST on ABC TV and ABC NEWS channels, on iview, and streamed live on ABC Australia Facebook and YouTube.
State TV broadcasts of capital city marches and dawn services will also be streamed live on ABC capital city Facebook accounts and on the ABC’s capital city local radio websites.
Every capital city will have live coverage of a local march, however coverage of capital city dawn services will vary in each state. Broadcasts times can be found on the ABC Anzac Day website.
Gallipoli Day /ANZAC Day services will be held in the UK, including:
a Dawn Service at Hyde Park Corner and later the annual Service of Commemoration with a wreath laying at the Cenotaph followed by a Service held at Westminster Abbey;
Baverstock, Codford, Fovant and Sutton Veny on the Salisbury Plain; and at about 15 other locations in England and Scotland;
Also at the Menin Gate, Ieper; and
Fromelles FranceSaturday 23 May Australian Western Front Association, Gallipoli Association, Fromelles Association, FFFAIF Lecture Day
Sunday 19 July Fromelles Day Commemoration in Sydney at the Anzac Memorial and
Melbourne Wreath-laying at the Shrine of Remembrance and Ipswich in QueenslandSunday 26 July Pozieres Service St Columba Woollahra TBC
Saturday 26 September Commemoration of the Battles of 3rd Ypres
Monday 19 October War Widows Day
Saturday 7th November FFFAIF AGM and John Laffin Memorial Lecture Day
Venue: Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park, Sydney and AGM On-line Zoom MeetingWednesday 11 November Remembrance Day
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Recent News
- Fromelles Day 2026 – Commemorating the 110th anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles 19 July 1916
- DIGGER 94
- VALE Dame Marie Bashir: Professor The Honourable Dame Marie Bashir, AD CVO
- Patron-in-Chief Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia
- DIGGER 93
- 2025 FFFAIF Annual General Meeting and John Laffin Memorial Lecture series
- DIGGER 92
- Fromelles Day 2025 – Commemorating the 109th anniversary in Sydney of the Battle of Fromelles 19 July 1916
Author Archives: FFFAIF
AE1 Remembered
Ninety six years ago, on 14th September 1914, the newly commissioned Royal Australian Navy submarine, the AE1, was lost with all hands aboard perishing. The AE1 and the AE2 were launched in May 1913 and commissioned into the Australian Navy … Continue reading
Unit History help
FFFAIF member Stuart Curry is researching the 13th Field Artillery Brigade and the 14th Machine Gun Company (5th Division) with a view to completing the writing of their unit histories. To help in telling the story of the men who … Continue reading
*2010 AGM
The Annual General Meeting of the The Families and Friends of the First AIF will be held in Dubbo, New South Wales at 2:45pm at RSL Club on Saturday 9th October 2010 Photo: Dubbo War Memorial [Munro Collection] If you … Continue reading
Fromelles' Dedication
Bright sunshine and clear blue skies shone over the northern French village of Fromelles on the 19th July 2010, the 94th Anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles, as more than 5,500 people gathered to witness the burial of the 250th … Continue reading
FFFAIF WF Tour Report
Members of The Families and Friends of the First AIF took part in the inaugural Western Front Commemorative Tour from 14th to 27th July 2010. The Tour started in Ieper, Belgium and over the next 14 days followed the Anzacs’ trail … Continue reading
*Bible to Fromelles
The Families and Friends of the First AIF have assisted the family of Private Henry Mayer to have his New Testament, given to him in World War 1, present at the dedication of the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Cemetery and family graveside … Continue reading
*Science at Fromelles
On the 19 July 2010 the new Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) will be dedicated in the presence of descendents of the fallen, dignitaries and members of the public. Many media reports are appearing on the … Continue reading
2 more identified!!
The ABC News has reported on Wednesday 7 July 2010: DNA tests reveal identities of Fromelles soldiers Researchers have identified two more Australian soldiers who died at the Battle of Fromelles in Northern France during World War I. Veterans’ Affairs … Continue reading
*JLML Photos
The 2010 John Laffin Memorial Lecture was held on Sunday 4th July at the Ashfield RSL Club, Sydney. Photo: Belgian member Anny De Decker with fellow FFFAIF member Will Davies Members gathered to hear fellow member Will Davies author Beneath Hill 60 give … Continue reading
*Plugstreet Digger's ID
The Australian Digger found in August 2008, still carrying his full kit and holding his rifle, 91 years after he was killed on the Western Front in Belgium has been identified. The co-director of the project Richard Osgood said: ‘Extensive detective work … Continue reading