This Saturday will mark an ANZAC Day that will make history, as residents adapt to Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions when honouring those who made the ultimate sacrifice for Australia.
For many this is a difficult and upsetting reality, so alternative ways of commemorating have been suggested.
St Marys RSL sub-branch acknowledges the importance of holding an ANZAC Dawn Service will broadcast a pre-recorded ‘pseudo’ service, which will be available on the St Marys RSL sub-branch Facebook page.
The service runs for approximately 13 minutes, featuring a single celebrant undertaking all of the aspects of a traditional ANZAC Service, with a single wreath to be laid on behalf of each individual watching.
St Marys RSL sub-branch Honorary Secretary Tony Fryer said this will give residents the opportunity to say thanks or to reflect on the loss of a mate or someone dear, despite the current restrictions in place.
“We traditionally provide a quality ANZAC Dawn Service to our members, so we were determined to continue that tradition,” he said.
“We actually decided late last year that we would have a theme about medical personnel in active service which turned out to be significantly more appropriate and has a double application now.”
The sub-branch invite the community to venture out to their driveway at 6am on ANZAC Day to remotely join in the service either on their Facebook page or YouTube.
Here they can listen to a poem, stand respectfully for the Last Post and even join in the singing of the National Anthem.
“We’re hoping for elderly people that their families will be able to assist them to view this video,” Mr Fryer said.
“We just hope that people do take the time and look at those 13 minutes as actually attending that particular service.”
If the driveway appearance at 6am is not achievable, the Facebook ANZAC Service will still be available to play at a later time and place.
The video will be available from before dawn on Saturday, April 25 on the Facebook page at https://bit.ly/3bn3F4x or by typing St Marys RSL sub-branch into YouTube.
A graduate of Western Sydney University, Nicola Barton is a news journalist with the Western Weekender, primarily covering crime and politics.
