The future of Anzac Day looks to be in good hands judging by the fantastic speeches delivered by Corowa High School students at the 11.00am Corowa service on Monday, April 25.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Corowa High School captain Lachlan McKenzie (Master of Ceremonies), vice-captain Rebecca Carroll and Year 11 students Clancy Tomlinson and Carter Read were commended by RSL-Sub-Branch President Martin Magill for their outstanding participation in the main commemoration service.
Rebecca Carroll confidently recited the Prologue speaking of the first ANZAC’s ultimate sacrifice and those who bravely stepped forward in following wars.
“The sons and daughters of our ANZAC’s came forward without question and accepted the responsibilities asked of them in defending their country in World War II and in times of turmoil in Korea, Borneo, Malaysia, various UN campaigns, and more recently, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan,” Rebecca said.
The 2022 Anzac Day Oration was delivered by Carter Read and Clancy Tomlinson who spoke about the evolvement of Anzac Day.
“As students, we learn about the heroes of the Dardanelles, those brave men of the 9th and 10th Battalions who, on the 25th of April 1915, stormed the beaches of Anzac Cove, reaching the heights under heavy fire. We learn about the 5th Division and their fateful attack on Fromelles as part of the wider Somme Offensive in July 1916. We are in awe of those brave men who participated in the wide-ranging advances at Passchendaele and across the Ypres Salient in September 1917,” Carter said.
“However, is this really what Anzac is? It was on the cliffs of Gallipoli that our national identity was truly forged and developed but it was cemented in the conflicts that followed.
“In 1939, young Australians were once again called upon to act in the face of foreign aggression. Young men enlisted in their thousands, eager to continue the legacy of their Anzac forebears.
“The experiences of Korea, Vietnam, Malaya, Indonesia, the Middle East, Rwanda, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan have left their Own distinct marks on Anzac, continuing a legacy that brings all of us together today.”
Clancy Tomlinson spoke about the continuing spirit and legacy of Anzac Day.
“Anzac is more than these events though. Anzac is a shared identity, a spirit that shines as a beacon for all Australians, old and new. Australia as a nation shares an unbreakable bond. We fight for one another, for brothers and sisters; for mates,” she told the estimated 600-strong crowd.
“When we, as a community, look back on ANZAC today we often think of heroic soldiers, men who sacrificed all so that we could live in peace. People who, like us, lived ordinary lives, did ordinary things and engaged in ordinary jobs. However, these men and women were called upon to do something extraordinary, and that is what we commemorate.”