Minute pause

SWAN Hill will pause for a minute today to remember fallen soldiers.

Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One on November 11, what is now known as Remembrance Day.

Also referred to as Armistice Day, a service will be held at the cenotaph in Swan Hill today.

In his speech, Swan Hill RSL sub-branch president Barry Townley will talk about the history and significance of the day.

“It was a two-minute silence for many years,” Mr Townley said.

“Then in 1997, the Governor General (of the Commonwealth of Australia) William Deane announced that Remembrance Day would be on the 11th of the 11th (November) every year with one-minute silence.”

Mr Townley said prior to this, no matter which day Remembrance Day fell on between Wednesday to Saturday, the commemorative day was always held on the Monday.

He said the one-minute silence was initially proposed by Australian journalist Edward Honey, who was working as a reporter in London’s Fleet Street.

Mr Townley said the day was significant for families that had lost someone in war.

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“We’ve got to remember them,” he said.

“Over the 100 years the times, and the dates and different things, were changing, and even the shape of the poppy and the colour of the centrepiece of the poppy all changed.

“Now it’s back to what it originally was, back to the 11th of the 11th at 11am.”

Mr Townley is a Vietnam War veteran who fought in Borneo and Malaysia in 1964 and 1967.

The RSL president said several hundred people attended the service in Swan Hill each year.

“We get around about 2000 or more at the Anzac service and we usually get about 300 to 400 at the dawn service,” he said.

*Ceremony details*

FOR those wishing to attend, arrive at the cenotaph in Swan Hill at 10.30am for a 10.45am start.

Mr Townley will present a speech at the ceremony, the Last Post will be played and wreaths will be laid.

The ceremony will be followed by the Swan Hill RSL sub-branch Remembrance Day awards presented to local students.

Mr Townley also conducted a service at Logan Lodge last Friday.