Temora will pause for a moment and fall silent on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month to mark Remembrance Day next Wednesday. The Temora community will come together to honour those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in war and conflict, during a sombre service at the Temora and District War Memorial at Callaghan Park. Remembrance Day is often referred to as a pivotal moment in time when the guns fell silent, uniting people in remembrance and hope. It is a day to pay tribute to those who have fought and died in conflicts around the globe so we can enjoy the lives we have today. During the local service, locals will commemorate the Australian lives lost in all wars and conflicts around the globe. Young and old will stand shoulder-to-shoulder, united in their thoughts on the importance of preserving peace as a bugle sounds the Last Post. This year is the 108th anniversary of Armistice Day, commemorating the historic moment in 1918, which signalled the end of World War I. On 11 November 1918, the guns on the Western Front in Europe fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare when the Germans called for an armistice (suspension of fighting) to secure a peace settlement, resulting in them accepting the allied terms of unconditional surrender. Originally known as Armistice Day, it was renamed Remembrance Day after World War Two to commemorate those who were killed in both World Wars. Temora RSL Sub Branch President Michael (Taz) Rundle has asked those attending the Temora service to assemble at Callaghan Park from 10.45am. Mr Rundle said Remembrance Day is a day to pause to remember all those who have died as a result of conflict, both combatants and civilian, as well as renewing the hope of humanity that peace will last. “As we look back on 108 years of legacy, the day remains a solemn promise to remember the fallen and a universal call to safeguard peace for the future,” he said. “This poignant pause allows us to reflect on the devastating cost of conflict and the profound value of peace. “It bridges generations, connecting youth with the veterans of yesterday and today. “What they gave, we carry forward - Lest We Forget.” During Temora’s service, the flag will be lowered to half-mast and heads will bow in a sombre tribute to those whose sacrifice will never be forgotten and their hopes of a better, more peaceful world remain. Temora’s service will end with the laying of wreaths. Sometimes, watching the crowd during services such as Remembrance Day, it is difficult to fully understand what some of these ex-servicemen and women endured through harrowing wartime conflict. The wrinkles may show in their face now as they advance in years, some stooped bodies are slower in their gait, many have had the sun’s rays on their backs for eight decades or more, but too often we forget these veterans were once young men. They were young men who were warriors facing the foe, an enemy intent on causing carnage and more importantly, these men we quietly view with admiration and pride in their deeds were the lucky ones – some of their comrades paid the ultimate price with their lives and never returned to Australia’s shores.
