By Matthew Sims
The Berwick community paused at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the end of the First World War and remember all of those Australians lost to the devastating effects of war.
Berwick’s Returned and Services League (RSL) sub-branch hosted the Remembrance Day service, with local community members, veterans and politicians among gathering around the Berwick cenotaph.
Reverend Elwyn Sparks spoke about the profound grief faced by family members of those killed during service.
“We remember the families and loved ones who were and still are affected by their loss,” she said.
“We pray for an end to the pain and killing.”
In his address, Berwick RSL’s Peter Beams said out of the 416,809 men enlisted, more than 60,000 servicemen died during the First World War.
“Too many had died,” he said.
“Today’s somber association have never changed.
“Our thoughts now turn to war’s enormous cost.”
The commemoration included a recital of the poem In Flanders’ Fields, the Last Post and Reveille and the Ode.
A minute’s silence was then observed by the crowd, before local politicians, veteran groups and community members laid a series of wreaths at the memorial.
The ceremony concluded with the playing of the Australian National Anthem.
