Community members and visitors gathered at the Harvey War Memorial on 11 November to commemorate Remembrance Day, honouring those who served and sacrificed their lives in times of war and conflict.
The Shire of Harvey extends its sincere thanks to the Harvey RSL Sub-Branch for organising the service, David Marshall OAM for officiating and everyone who attended to pay their respect.
As part of the commemoration, Shire of Harvey Councillor John Bromham delivered a moving address, reflecting on the impact of war on families and communities.
Councillor John Bromham’s Remembrance Day Address
Ladies and gentlemen,
I would first like to thank Les and Brian for inviting me to speak on behalf of the Harvey RSL. I would also like to acknowledge the Shire President Michelle Campbell, CEO Tony Nottle, Ex Service and Service personnel and all of you who come to remember those who served and secured the freedoms we all enjoy.
It is an honour to speak here today! At first, when I was asked to speak, I thought I would talk about how war has changed and how that change impacts both military and civilian populations, because war involves everyone.
The Boer War was fought with cavalry and horse-drawn artillery.
Since then, we have invented weapons of increasing capability in their destructive power and mobility.
We have seen the rise of terrorism.
The radicalisation of individuals and groups.
Subversive actions by foreign political powers.
The use of social media to divide or weaponise others through disinformation (a weapon used in many wars), called propaganda in the past.
These are significant things to consider in the present-day context, but they are often beyond our control.
Therefore, my mind moved to consider what those who gave their lives would want to say on a day such as this.
I think I was lucky in my youth to have a large family. My mother was one of eight siblings, and I lived in the same house as my Nan, so everyone visited.
All my grandparents had fought or been involved in the First World War. My father, mother and all my uncles and aunties had fought or been involved in the Second World War. However, they seldom spoke of it, and when they did, it was to tell tales of close shaves and survival.
My Uncle John had flown with Bomber Command and was the last of my uncles left alive.
I asked him why they always seemed so happy when they gathered at what they called “a good old knee’s up”, a family gathering of the clan.
His answer was, “After something like that, every moment counts!” . They valued life and happiness.
My mother had died and had never spoken of the Blitz or her life in London during it. My Auntie Jessie, her younger sister, told me this story:
“Your Mum and I attended a film theatre during the Blitz. That night, the Germans bombed London. We were sitting in the circle seats, and the building began to shake. I said to your Mum, “Olive, don’t you think we should go to the bomb shelter?”, to which she replied, “If I am going to die, I am going to die watching that lovely fellow.”
This shows an important part of the human character in adversity: resilience, the ability to withstand or recover quickly and maybe a little bit of English humour in such conditions.
Unfortunately, they are all now gone. Let’s hope to a better place.
However, I believe if they could speak, they would say something like this on a day such as this:
“Don’t remember our generation only with grief or turn our deaths into a reason for more war. Remember the people we were, and the people we loved. Protect one another. Settle disputes before they become battles. Care for those who return carrying wounds, and for families who carry loss. Remember us in the way you live. Treat others with kindness. Take responsibility for your own actions.
Care for those that cannot care for themselves and build the communities and nations we dreamed of building through our sacrifice.
Make every day a day in which we strive to be better people. By doing so you honour our sacrifice.”
I believe that these or similar words would be those used by those that gave their lives and those that fought or experienced war would say to us now, on this day.
Thank you.
Lest We Forget.
