At 11 a.m. on Monday, November 11, in Donald’s centrally situated mall, a number of residents took the time to join with Donald branch RSL members to pay tribute to those who had represented their country in times of war.

Donald branch president, Carmel Dugan, welcomed those present, her husband and branch secretary, Allan, recited the Ode, a minute’s silence was observed, and wreaths were laid.

“The Last Post” and “Reveille” sounded, before Robyn Bennett read the poem, “The Farmer Remembers the Somme”, and Sue Morse read the immortal verses, “In Flanders Fields”.

In a short address, Carmel recalled that she and Allan had been fortunate to be able to have done some extensive travel overseas.

“Whether we’ve been to a first world country or a third world country, we always come back knowing that we live in the luckiest country on earth,” she said.

“We live here free from racial or religious violence, without persecution, without fear. We are free to roam our amazing country and the reason we are able to do this is because of the men and woman who sacrificed their lives so that our nation could be free.

“Most of these young people had no idea what they were signing up for. They certainly didn’t sign up for the outcome that so many of them faced. What they did know, was how important it was to protect our land and they did this without fear or favour.

“The theme for remembrance day this year is to ‘remember to remember them’.”

“For many people of my generation, names on cenotaphs aren’t just names, they are our loved ones that we never got to meet, their selflessness allowed us to be be able to commemorate days such as today.

“Let’s make a pledge today to teach our future generations to remember ‘to remember them’.”