The Mount Gambier community commemorated Remembrance Day yesterday under clear skies with a service at the Vansittart Park Soldiers Memorial conducted by Pastor Dave Sigley.


Mayor of Mount Gambier Lynette Martin OAM delivered the community address and Mount Gambier Community RSL president Bob Sandow and local historian Graeme Roulstone explained the history of the monument.


612 Squadron Mount Gambier Airforce Cadet Christopher Mossford-MacGregor played The Last Post on the bugle and Mr Roulstone recited The Ode.


In a rare treat for the region, 101st Airborne Division Vietnam Veteran and RSL Airlie Beach Whitsunday member Josef Concy, originally from Southern California, attended the ceremony on his trip around Australia.


“It is all to do with respect for the guys that we left behind and some of the guys still around today,” he said.


“You go to these things as kind of a sentimental thing and you do not want to forget it totally ever so you make sure you become a member more than anything else to make sure other people understand. The youth of today need to understand why all this happened.


“One of the things one has to admire is having the school children coming up and spending the time for Vietnam Veterans Day, Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.


“We have to keep on going and doing the job, we must do that to never forget the ones who were left behind; they were the heroes of everybody. It is good to come back here and feel they’re still around.”


Wreaths were laid by dignitaries, local service organisations, veterans, members of the local community and school representatives while RSL Blue Lake Highland Pipe Band piper Barry Ward played.


In attendance were Limestone Coast Local Service Area Commander Superintendent Cheryl Brown APM and representatives for Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell and Ben Hood MLC.


The Mount Gambier Fire Service sounded the siren to commence the one-minute silence at 11am.


Limestone Coast locals Heather Harrington and Sandra Woodham decorated a tree at Vansittart Park with over 1500 poppies among other sites around Mount Gambier.


The Blue Lake city received a flyover by the Royal Australian Air Force over the Vansittart Park Soldiers Memorial at 12:20pm.