Yass Valley Mayor Jasmin Jones laying a wreath. Photo by Tom O’Dea.
Marking the 111-year anniversary of the 1915 landing of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) troops in Gallipoli, residents far and wide awoke at dawn to remember and commemorate the sacrifices made by everyday men and women in wars both past and present.
Following the early morning commemorations, the traditional gambling game of 2 Up (restricted and only legally allowed to be played on ANZAC Day) could be seen in local pubs, halls and other meeting places as Australian’s recognised and remembered those who came before them.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.
These were just some of ways our community honoured them:
Yass:
At 6am sharp, more than 500 attendees awoke and attended the dawn service in Yass at the Yass Soldiers’ Memorial Hall cenotaph on Comur Street.
The crowd doubled by 11am to witness the March and wreath laying service.
AVM Bob Richardson gave an address in highlighting and commemorating the history of the earliest Australian application of air power in the First World War.
A portion of his speech is as follows:
Australia was the only dominion in the British Empire to form a flying corps during World War I. Some Australians also enlisted in Britain’s Royal Flying Corps and Royal Navy Air Service.
The Australian Army Flying Corps was gazetted in 1911, just three years after the US Army signed the first-ever contract for a powered aircraft – to the Wright Brothers for the Wright Flyer, that was first delivered in 1909.
The first Army officers began training at Point Cook’s Central Flying School in 1914 under two flying instructors from Britain, Lts Petree and Harrison, with just five aircraft, including a Bristol Boxkite. The first four pilots to graduate were:
• Captain Thomas White,
• Lieutenant David Manwell,
• Lieutenant George Merz, who was killed in Mesopotamia, and
• Lieutenant Richard Williams, later to be appointed the first RAAF Chief.
In February 1915, the Australian government committed aircrew, mechanics and drivers to help British forces in the Mesopotamia Campaign – to protect their oil fields in Persia, now Iran!
Australian planes and crews flew in the Middle East from 1915 to 1918 and in Europe from 1916 until they returned home in May 1919. Of the 2700 men who served in the Australian Flying Corps, 178 died.
At the start of the war, Australian airmen flew early and unreliable machines over the burning Egyptian and Mesopotamian deserts. By its end, they were piloting the deadliest military aircraft of the war. Combat in the skies over the Middle East was dangerous, but it never approached the scale and intensity of air warfare over Europe. It’s also noteworthy that for most of the War, Allied combat pilots were generally not issued parachutes due to policy and technical concerns. In contrast, German aircrew had parachutes from 1917, and all balloonists had parachutes.
Early in the War, several Australian airmen flew with the first British flying squadrons. Captain Arthur Jopp even flew missions over Gallipoli, spotting and bombing Turkish positions as an observer in the Royal Navy Air Service.
In the British-held port of Basra (in modern-day Iraq), the AFC unit became known as the Mesopotamian Half Flight. The Half Flight had limited resources and unsuitable aircraft – only three ageing Maurice-Farmans. But the Turks had no planes there at all, so the British and Australians had that advantage, although the unreliability of their engines was always a major problem.
Lt Petree and a New Zealander, Captain Reilly, flew the first operational reconnaissance mission on 31 May 1915. As the British advanced along the river Tigris, the airmen carried dispatches between the front and Basra, and made daily reconnaissance flights over enemy positions.
Two unarmed Caudron aircraft were delivered to Basra in July 1915. Two months later Reilly and Merz flew these planes to support ground operations in the Battle of Nasiriyeh. But faulty engines forced both planes down as they returned. Only Reilly and his observer made it back to Basra, and Reilly found the wreck of Merz’s plane a few days later, but no bodies. Locals who witnessed the deaths of Merz and his observer reported that Arab tribesmen attacked the two airmen while they were trying to repair their aircraft. They were killed after a running gunfight over four miles. This was the first death of an Australian airman in any war.
Yass Valley Young Citizen of the Year, Lilly Chatwin, said the Prayer for Peace and raised the flag.
At the march, Yass Valley Mayor Jasmin Jones, said many community groups and schools commemorated the ANZACS with wreaths.
Military College Cadets and the Canberra Pipe Band provided the ceremony with an escort, and Edward Alley’s rendition of The Last Post and Rouse brought many to tears.
“Whether at the Yass dawn or 11am march or the many village services and marches held around Yass Valley today, we saw our community at its best throughout this solemn day of reflection and remembrance,” Jasmin said.
“On this ANZAC Day, we remember with thanksgiving those who made the supreme sacrifices for us in times of war.
“Thank you to the Yass RSL Sub-Branch, the Hon. Michael McCromack MP, the Hon. Wendy Tuckerman MP and the hundreds of residents and visitors who turned out at the Yass and Yass valley village dawn services, arriving quietly in the dark before the sunrise to show our deep respect for those who serve now and those who have served before.”
Gundaroo:
More than 300 people, young and old, gathered on a cool misty morning at the Gundaroo War Memorial for the 2026 Anzac Day Dawn Service.
They witnessed two formal addresses, the first by the Historical Society remembering local servicemen and women and marking the importance of Gundaroo’s various memorials and the history of the Gundaroo War Memorial which has just undergone a major rejuvenation.
The second was the Anzac Day Address by local resident Lt.Col Andrew Mackie (Rtd) on the importance of being prepared for service in conflict but also for service after returning to the community when “the uniform comes off”.
A dozen floral tributes were laid representing the ADF, Local Member Wendy Tuckerman, Cr Cecil Burgess (Yass Valley Council), by six local Community groups, Gundaroo Rural Fire Service, NSW SES, Soldier’s Memorial Hall, Gundaroo Public School, First Gundaroo Scout Group, Gundaroo Community Association and the Monuments Sub Committee. EQ Haven laid a wreath marking the loss of animals in war and there were two private tributes laid.
Then followed the Ode, the Last Post, One Minute’s Silence and Reveille. Three young locals sang the Australian and New Zealand Anthems to conclude the ceremony.
After the ceremony, the crowd retired to the Soldier’s Memorial Hall for breakfast prepared by the Hall and the Men’s Shed with coffee supplied by Neat Street Coffee Van.
Ron Miller, The Gundaroo Gazette
Sutton:
A “solemn and poignant” start to the day, the Sutton Dawn Service was well attended by visitors and locals alike, with a wreath laid by Yass Valley Councillor, Al Charry.
Hosted by the Sutton Public School and Sutton & District Community Association, the service was led by the Venerable Dr Royce Thompson with photos taken by Sutton SES photographer, Austin Kong.
The Sutton SES also paid a tribute to the men and women who have given their lives during war in an online post that read: “Today we pause to remember the courage, sacrifice, and service of all those who have served our nation.”
“We are deeply grateful to the men and women who gave so much in the name of freedom and peace. Their strength and bravery will never be forgotten.
“Lest We Forget.”
Murrumbateman:
Hosted by the Murrumbateman Lions Club, the 9.30am service was greatly attended by the community, with representatives from The Yass Valley Council (Councillor Al Charry and Councillor Alan McGrath), the Murrumbateman Pony Club, catafalque party from the 1st/15th Royal NSW Australian Army Lancers, Scouts and Murrumbateman Primary School.
Bowning:
The Bowning Dawn service was well attended by locals with a representative from the Yass Valley Council (Councillor Adrian Cameron) laying a wreath on behalf of the Council.
Students from Bowning Public School paid their respects in full uniform in recognition of the men and women who had served.
Binalong:
Residents and visitors assembled for a service near Hotel Binalong following a march to the War Memorial Garden on Fitzroy Street.
Students from the Binalong Public School led the march where the students participated in the following service, incorporating both First Nations language and English in their address.
The touching tribute showed a unified front of young and old joining together to remember and commemorate those who lost their life in conflict and wars.
Yass Valley Councillor Adrian Cameron laid a wreath on behalf of the Yass Valley Council.
Wee Jasper:
Wee Jasper’s schedule was packed as visitors crowded the gates ahead of the Wee Jasper Heritage Fair on ANZAC Day.
Celebrating traditions of old, an ANZAC Day service at 8.00am, featuring a later minute silence at 11am, started the fair as visitors remembered and commemorated a time not forgotten, but told about in stories across the dinner table.
A wreath was laid on behalf of the Yass Valley Council, and the fair opened its gates to more than 2000 visitors.
Although ANZAC Day has now come and gone, the importance of its commemoration lives on in our everyday actions and decisions.
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning.
We will remember them.
Lest We Forget.
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