I was still at home at 10.55am this morning and rushed down to the Richmond Town Hall hoping to be part of REMEMBRANCE DAY in which many people stop what they are doing to remember not only those who had participated in WW1 (the population of Australia at that time was about 4.9 million, and about 429,000 Australians enlisted), but the moment when the hostilities ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day or the 11th month in 1918.
I arrived with a minute to spare and heard the last stanza of the Ode of Remembrance, which is always poignant.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
The bugler played The Last Post and a woman sang Advance Australia Fair. I took some photos as the hands of the clock turned 11am. You will notice that Adam Bandt, Federal Member for Melbourne Greens was in attendance.
Afterwards all the members of the public and dignitaries who turned up for the event were treated upstairs to refreshments, sandwiches and other assorted brunch type fare. I hadn't been in that part of the Richmond Town Hal before so I was delighted to see the amazing Art Deco interiors. I spoke briefly with the only men there who were wearing medals. One had served in Malaysia in the 1950s, the other was a Vietnam Vet. Overall it was an enjoyable, if not solemn occasion.
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