Limestone Coast residents will pause this Saturday for Remembrance Day to pay their respects for the service and sacrifice of the soldiers who fought for the nation.
A host of services will take place across the region including in Mount Gambier, Penola, Millicent and Southend.
This year will mark 105 years since the signing of the Armistice to mark the end of World War I with the Treaty of Versailles finalised six months later.
The Mount Gambier Service will take place at the Vansittart Park Soldiers Memorial with attendees encouraged to be there at 10.30am for a 10.40am start.
The Mount Gambier Fire Brigade will sound the siren commencing and concluding the one-minute silence which starts at 11am.
The service will be conducted by Pastor Dave Sigley in conjunction with Mount Gambier RSL president Bob Sandow and vice president Peter Bruhn.
Mr Sandow said he would speak about the significance of the Vansittart Park Soldiers Memorial which celebrated its centenary in October last year.
“The memorial is the same memorial that was built in 1922 for World War I and every year it’s the same memorial, but it’s taken the load of every war since and it’s still standing,” he said.
The Ode this year will be recited by Compton Primary School teacher Shirley Roulstone who, along with her husband Graham, looked after the local late World War II veterans for numerous years.
“These men were our friends for many years,” Mr Roulstone said.
“We met every Sunday for a catch-up and then had lunch together.
“For us, this was a very special time and we’re pretty sure it was special for them, too.
“Now they are gone, but we miss them and it is that bond that we particularly remember on occasions such as Remembrance Day and Anzac Day.
“They have left us with wonderful memories of the many stories they shared.”
The RSL Blue Lake Highland Pipe Band will perform a rendition of Amazing Grace prior to the National Anthem and the bugle for the Last Post will be played by Salvation Army Mount Gambier and Millicent core leader Tim Frost.
Nine local schools will be present at the service with the South Australian branch of the Fleet Air Arm Association of Australia placing a wreath in honour of late Mount Gambier Veteran Tony Casadio.
For the inaugural time, the Blue Lake city will receive a flyover by the Royal Australian Air Force to commemorate the occasion with a Poseidon P-8A travelling from the east over Commercial Street at 12.20pm.
In Millicent, a service conducted by the Millicent RSL will commence at the Cross of Sacrifice at 10.45am and a minute’s silence will be observed at 11am.
Southend will honour the service of five deceased war veterans from one local family at its Remembrance Day service on Saturday.
Sydney Stewart Menzies Smith saw active service overseas during World War I with the Australian Imperial Force along with his two brothers.
His two children Ian “Rocky” and Heather (later Mrs Carthew) also enlisted during World War II with the Royal Australian Air Force.
All five are direct descendants of Christina Smith who arrived at Southend from Scotland in 1845.
Saturday’s service is being arranged by the Southend Progress Association commencing at 10.45am and will be staged by the flagpoles at the Western Beach.
