By Helena Adeloju
The flag fell to half-mast against a sky of heavy grey cloud at 6am, before the strains of a lone bagpiper rang out over the steady soaking rain.
As soldiers took up their posts at the north, south, east and west of the cenotaph, Pakenham’s 102nd Anzac Day Service began.
Despite the dismal weather, hundreds gathered at the cenotaph on the corner of John and Henry streets to continue the traditional dawn pilgrimage in memory of those who served and those who fell.
The much-loved hallmarks of Anzac Day were all there.
The Ode was read, the Australian and New Zealand national anthems sung, the wreaths laid and poppies placed to salute the Anzac spirit.
Andrew Miller and his wife were attending the dawn service for the first time to start a special family tradition of their own.
“We’ve got a little one due today,” Mr Miller said.
“We are paying our respects to the people who fought for our country.”
Jennifer Stone brought her children Morgan – who is a member of Scouts – and Addison – who is a member of the Cubs.
“We’ve got quite a history of servicemen in our family,” Ms Stone said.
“We’re just continuing those traditions and taking a little bit of time to pay our respects.”
Kirsty Jeffries attended the service with her husband and their two daughters. She came despite the crowds and the rain to pay her respects for family members who served in World War II.
“We just wanted to make it a family tradition and bring the kids down to be a part of it all,” she said.
“We wanted to get closer so we could give the girls a sense of it, but maybe next year.”
Guest speaker Rev Ann Simons spoke of mateship, love of neighbour, building up communities of trust and respect, looking out for the underdog and ensuring a fair go for all.
“These are the positive values I believe our Diggers fought for, and that we
now by our presence here this morning, pledge to uphold,” she said.
Pakenham resident, Major Caroline Greaves, used her speech at the dawn service as a tribute to the contribution of women who have served in the armed services, stretching back to World War I.
“The onset of war inspires many women of Australia to enlist alongside their male counterparts,” she said. “Theirs is a story far less frequently told.”
She recounted the story of Australian World War I heroine Dr Agnes Bennett, whose request to enlist with the Australian Imperial Forces was rejected.
Dr Bennett’s determination resulted in her becoming the first female commissioned officer in the British Army, when as a captain she worked as a medical officer in war hospitals in Cairo in 1915.
In 1916-17 she was in charge of a unit of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals on the Serbian front.
Major Greaves said her own military career, which has seen her serve in the Middle East, has been enormously rewarding, despite service women still being a minority.
“Those of us with a sense of service hold the threads of the history that winds back through the women who served before us as they come through the fences set to hold them back,” she said.
Federal Member for McMillan, Russell Broadbent, Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Daniel Mulino, Member for Bass, Brian Paynter and Cardinia Councillors Jodie Owen and Michael Schilling were also in attendance at the service.
Berwick’s morning service too was a wet affair, with a sea of umbrellas surrounding High Street’s cenotaph.
The sombre ceremony attracted hundreds of locals young and old, proving the Anzac spirit was well and truly alive.
Gembrook MP Brad Battin was in attendance and applauded the community for braving the weather conditions to honour our veterans past and present.
