Four local brigades will take part in a special commemorative ceremony being held in Bendigo on ANZAC Eve.
Members from Bendigo, Eaglehawk, Golden Square, Kangaroo Flat and Strathfieldsaye will provide assistance for cadet torch bearers and form part of the guard of honour at the Field of Remembrance ceremony.
Part of Bendigo’s ANZAC centenary commemorations, the Field of Remembrance ceremony will involve the symbolic placement of more than 200 crosses bearing the names of local people who answered the call in WWI in central Bendigo’s Pall Mall.
The field of crosses, with an eternal flame as its centrepiece, symbolises the service and sacrifice made by local men and women – including a member of the Bendigo Fire Brigade.
J. Hindley was fighting with the 4th Machine Guns Corp. He was captured and died as a POW in Cologne, Germany.
He is recognised on a honour roll at the Bendigo Fire Station, along with the other five members who served - C. Curtayne (7th Battalion), A. Cook (Australian Army Medical Corps), W.J.Russell (Australian Corps Signal Company and 54th battalion), G.S. Comber (60th Battalion and Australian Army Medical Corps) and H. Lansell (3rd Division Supply Column).
There is no doubt that flickering flames of the 40 CFA kerosene torches will help add to the atmosphere of Friday’s event, which Fortuna Group’s DGO Peter Polwarth, is proud to be coordinating.
Peter, who is also a keen historian and member of the Passchendaele Barracks Military Historical Society and Bendigo Military Museum, said:
“CFA Members are proud to assist in this significant event to mark the 100th Anniversary of the Anzac Landing.
“Our role is to show approximately 38 local tri-service cadets how to hold the torches safely, and to form part of the "guard" along the footpath when more than 200 descendants will move to the lawn and plant white crosses with their relatives names,” Peter said.
“One of our members will also be on hand to assist the Mayor to use one of our torches to light the eternal flame,” he added.
Field of Remembrance ceremony will be held in Pall Mall at 6.30pm tomorrow (Friday 24 April).
Author: CFA News