An icy start on Saturday morning did not deter hundreds of people from attending Anzac Day services across the shire to commemorate those who served and paid the ultimate sacrifice in conflicts near and far. A crisp autumn dawn attracted more than 300 people to the 6am service at the War Memorial Gates in Mansfield, gathering in the darkness for a poignant ceremony. Mansfield RSL president Chris Roberts welcomed all to mark the 111th year since the landing of Anzac forces at Gallipoli. A veteran of the Australian Regular Army's catering corps from 1994 to 2005, he noted the strong Anzac Day ties to the shire. "The spirit of the Anzacs was born at Gallipoli," Mr Roberts said. "They rejected hardship, danger and death, because no digger would ever let their mates down. "During World War One, 492 military personnel from our district went to war. "Of these, 97 were killed in action. "Also, hundreds of horses left Mansfield, and none returned. "Anzac Day is a day of national pride. It is not a day to glorify war." Following a morning prayer by Rev Victor Adams, retired Captain Ken Thompson — immediate past president of the Mansfield RSL — delivered a moving address. "Anzac Day is about the strength of character shown by ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances — service, sacrifice, and the enduring belief that some things are worth standing up for: mateship, freedom, and the hope of a better world," Mr Thompson said. "When the Anzacs landed at Gallipoli in 1915, many were barely older than the students in our schools today. "They came from farms, factories, offices, and small towns, carrying the optimism of youth. "What they encountered was brutal and unforgiving. "Yet through every challenge, they showed resilience, humour, and a deep loyalty to one another. "Those qualities became known as the Anzac spirit — a spirit that has shaped our national identity. "It lives on not only in the stories of Gallipoli, but in the deserts of North Africa, the skies over Europe, the jungles of the Pacific, in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, and in countless peacekeeping missions around the world. "Today we honour all who have served — past and present. "Those who never returned home, and those who did but carried the invisible wounds of war. "The families who waited, worried, and grieved. "The silence we share this morning is not only a tribute to the fallen — it is a reminder of the cost of conflict, and a call to build a more just and compassionate future. "We honour them best not only by remembering their sacrifice, but by living the values they embodied." The 30-minute service, which included the sounding of the Last Post, was followed by the traditional gunfire breakfast courtesy of the Mansfield CFA and Foodworks. At 10am a crowd of more than 400 gathered in Highett St to watch veterans, RSL members, service organisations and community groups parade from the CFA station to the Menin Gates for the main service and wreath laying. Mansfield Secondary College student Amy Les read the winning year nine essay, written by Alana Beattie, imagining a letter home from the frontline at Gallipoli. The service also included prayer, The Ode, the national anthem performed by the MAD Orchestra, and the sounding of the Last Post. The main address was delivered by RSL member and historian Steve Campbell, who painted a vivid picture of the real cost of victory — ordinary men doing extraordinary things, and families never knowing if their boys would come home. "As 60,000 of them did not... this war broke Australia's heart. "Barely a family in this country was not affected in some way by the ever-growing casualties — losing multiple sons, treasured sons... just gone... forever," Mr Campbell said. "But they are by no means forgotten, as evidenced by you good people coming out here today to recognise their impact on this great country that we all love."
