Remembrance Day, 11th November 2008, is the 90th Anniversary of the signing of the Armistice at Compiegne, France. The Armistice signalled the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front between the Allies and Germany in 1918.
This year many commemorative services will be held throughout Australia and around the world, including a special service at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, in France.
If you plan to attend a Remembrance Day Service this year please contact us at projectfffaif@yahoo.com.au – as we would like to be able to post reports, from near and far, on a wide collection of services. Many members of the Families and Friends of the First AIF will be attending the service at the Australian War Memorial, in Canberra this year.
Photo: Remembrance Day Canberra 2007 [Alan Kitchen]
If you are planning your own Commemorative Service the Australian War Memorial website outlines the traditions of Remembrance Day services. Click here for details.
The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs released the following information about the commemoration of the 90th Anniversary of the signing of the Armistice and the re-dedication of the Australian Corps Memorial at Le Hamel:
2008 MARKS 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMISTICE
AUSTRALIAN SERVICES ON WESTERN FRONT
The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Alan Griffin, today announced that in addition to the many services in Australia, the Australian Government will commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armistice with a Remembrance Day service at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, in France.
Mr Griffin said he hoped that many Australians would attend a Remembrance Day service either in Australia or overseas to remember the service and sacrifice of the more than 415,000 Australians who served during the First World War.
“More than 46,000 of the 60,000 Australians who died in the First World War lost their lives on the battlefields of the Western Front in France and Belgium.
“The end of the war on 11 November 1918 brought relief and rejoicing; but the joy was tempered by the terrible cost in human lives and suffering to Australia and many other nations.
“On this key 90th anniversary, it is appropriate that the Australian Government holds a service at Villers-Bretonneux, where the names of nearly 11,000 of our dead from the battlefields of France with no known grave are forever inscribed,” Mr Griffin said.
Mr Griffin said the service would begin at 10:15 am on Tuesday, 11 November.
The Remembrance Day service at Villers-Bretonneux will be preceded by the re-dedication of the memorial at the Australian Corps Memorial Park, Le Hamel, at 3pm on Saturday, 8 November.
Mr Griffin said the Le Hamel memorial commemorated the service of the Australian Corps through its actions at Le Hamel on 4 July 1918. In this battle, the tactics very successfully applied by General Sir John Monash foreshadowed those used in larger offensives that began in August 1918 and led to the Allied victory.
“The re-dedication will mark the completion of extensive work funded by the Government to repair damage caused by the deterioration of the memorial,” Mr Griffin said.
For more information on the November events in France and other Remembrance Day services around the world visit www.dva.gov.au.
11 NOVEMBER REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONIES IN AUSTRALIA
Australian Capital Territory
Event: National Remembrance Day Commemoration Ceremony
Time: Ceremony commences at 10.15am. Please arrive by 10.00am.
Venue: Parade Ground, Australian War Memorial
Details: Details of the ceremony will be posted on the Australian War Memorial website, www.awm.gov.au
Contact: The Australian War Memorial Events and Ceremonies section, (02) 62434211 or ceremony@awm.gov.au
New South Wales
Sydney
Event: Remembrance Day Commemoration Ceremony
Time: Ceremony commences at 10:48am. Please arrive by 10:15am
Venue: Cenotaph, Martin Place, Sydney
Contact: Department of Premier and Cabinet, (02) 9513 2041 or rebecca.gelao@dpc.nsw.gov.au
Photo: Remembrance Day Sydney 2007
Newcastle
Event: Remembrance Day Service
Time: Ceremony commences at 11.00am. Please arrive by 10.50am
Venue: Civic Park, Newcastle (Corner King & Auckland Streets)
Contact: Mr Charlie McGregor JP, Council Secretary, (02) 4968 3743 or charles@mysoul.com.au
Wollongong
Event: 90th Anniversary Remembrance Day Service
Time: Ceremony commences at 10.45am. Please arrive by 10.30am
Venue: Wollongong City Cenotaph, Church St, Wollongong
Contact: Mr Joe Davidson, (02) 4225 9818 or gongrsl@wollongong.hotkey.net.au
Northern Territory
Darwin
Event: Remembrance Day Service
Time: Ceremony commences at 10.45am. Please arrive by 10.30am
Venue: Cenotaph, Bicentennial Park, off Esplanade between Herbert Street and Knuckey Street
Alice Springs
Event: Remembrance Day Service
Time: Ceremony commences at 10.45am. Please arrive by 10.30am
Venue: Anzac Hill, Alice Springs
Katherine
Event: Remembrance Day Service
Time: Ceremony commences at 10.45am. Please arrive by 10.30am
Venue: O’Shea Park, Stuart Highway and O’Shea Terrace
Queensland
Brisbane
Event: National Remembrance Day Commemoration Ceremony
Time: Ceremony commences at 10.40am.
Venue: Shrine of Remembrance, Ann Street, Brisbane
Details: Details of the ceremony will be posted on the RSL website at www.rslqld.org.
Contact: Connie Millar, Public Relations Officer, (07) 3634 9410 or connie.millar@rslqld.org
Cairns
Event: Remembrance Day Commemoration Ceremony
Time: Ceremony commences at 10.40am.
Venue: Cairns Cenotaph, opposite the RSL club on the Esplanade
Contact: RSL Townsville, (07) 4759 9529
Townsville
Event: Remembrance Day Commemoration Ceremony
Time: Ceremony commences at 10.35am. Please arrive by 10.00am.
Venue: Cenotaph, ANZAC Park, The Strand
Contact: RSL Townsville, (07) 4759 9529
South Australia
Adelaide
Event: Ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice
Time: 9.45am – unveiling of the ‘Atatürk Tribute’ Monument
10.15am – dedication of the Eternal Flame Memorial
10.45am – ceremony of Remembrance
Venue: Cross of Sacrifice, Pennington Garden, King William Road, Adelaide
Victoria
Melbourne
Event: Remembrance Day Commemoration Ceremony
Time: Ceremony commences at 10.20am with the lowering of the flag and will finish by 11.20am
Venue: Forecourt of the Shrine of Remembrance
Contact: The Shrine of Remembrance, (03) 9654 8415 or reception@shrine.org.au
Event: Association Des Anciens Combattants Francais de Victoria Ceremony
Time: Ceremony commences at 11.20am.
Venue: Sanctuary of the Shrine of Remembrance.
Contact The Shrine of Remembrance, (03) 9654 8415 or reception@shrine.org.au
The Main Sanctuary doors of the Shrine of Remembrance will be opened 11.55 – 12.05 to allow the public to see the sun shine on the inner sanctum. Due to daylight saving this event occurs an hour after the hour of remembrance.
Bendigo
Event: 2008 Remembrance Day Commemoration
Time: Ceremony commences at 10.50am.
Venue: Cenotaph, Pall Mall
Contact: Bendigo RSL, (03) 5442 4013
Western Australia
Perth
Event: State Remembrance Day Ceremony
Time: Ceremony commences at 10.30am
Venue: State War Memorial Precinct
Details: State RSL Website – www.rslwahq.org.au
Contact: State RSL, (08) 9287 3799, rslwahq@iinet.net.au
Albany
Event: Remembrance Day Ceremony
Time: 10.20am
Venue: War Memorial, corner York and Peels Place, Albany
Contact: Mr Laurie Fraser MBE, President Albany Sub Branch RSL (08) 9844 4695
Fremantle
Event: Remembrance Day Ceremony
Time: 10.30am
Venue: Monument Hill Fremantle
Details: www.freofocus.com
Contact: City of Fremantle, Corporate Events, (08) 9432 9830
Tasmania
Hobart
Event: Remembrance Day Ceremony
Time: Ceremony commences at 10.00am
Venue: Hobart War Memorial (Cenotaph), Queens Domain, Hobart
Details: Ceremony will commence with a parade of First World War unit banners.
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The Families and Friends of the First AIF thanks the Australian, UK and French governments for affording Australian and British soldiers – presently buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood – dignified individual reburials in a new CWGC cemetery at Fromelles, and urge those responsible to ensure all necessary scientific and other means are employed to properly identify each soldier.