ANZAC Dawn Service At Eudunda 2024 Attracts Large Gathering

Residents of Eudunda, Robertstown and Districts gathered at the Eudunda War Memorial at dawn, on the 25^th April, with approximately 160 attending the annual ANZAC service.

Attendees were welcomed by Brian Kirby, Eudunda RSL’s new President this year. Brian has taken on the position from John Stephens who has served as President for the past 28 years. Well done John.

Brian welcomed everyone on what was a pleasant but cool morning, to commemorate the 109th year that the ANZAC tradition started. It iss also a day we commemorate all those who have served, all those who are serving in the defence force today and all those who will serve in the future.

Troops from the Australian Army 7th Battalion formed a catafalque guard at the Cenotaph during the service.

Once the catafalque party was mounted the service was conducted by Pastor Jacob Fabich of the Eudunda Robertstown Lutheran Parish who was conducting his first ANZAC service in the district.

The morning follows traditional lines, with the hymn “Eternal Father” being sung, followed by the “Lord’s Prayer” and Pastor Fabich read from Psalm 46, part of which has these comforting words,

“God is our refuge and strength and ever present help in trouble, therefore we will not fear though the Earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea… He says ‘Be still and know that I am God…” and the reading continued.

After a blessing, Pastor Jacob went on to this sermon,
“Be still and know that I am God, these are two things us humans are not particularly good at doing, ‘being still and knowing God’, as time goes by we seem to get busier and busier, and as of our last census we are not longer a ‘Christian Country’, less than 50 percent of the population believe in the Christian God.

“But let us draw peace from our reading today, even in a restless World we can have peace, maybe your life is far from peaceful, maybe you are searching for answers, maybe you think the World is too far gone to have any peace; after all almost every day we hear of a new conflict or unrest in the World, and maybe some of you have experienced this unrest first hand. Psalm 46 is a hymn of confidence and it gives us confidence that our Lord is with us. This is not that he might be with us, but that he is with us’.

Pastor Fabish continued on to reassure us that God is with us and that God makes wars cease to the ends of the Earth. A question he embraced was the reason ‘why if God can stop war, why hasn’t he done it?’.

“The reason we have war is because we are imperfect human beings, we are corrupted and we don’t always do what is best for ourselves or each other, but there is a time when there will be war no more and this is through our Lord Jesus.” Pastor continued. The Prayer of Remembrance followed.

The placing of the wreaths and tributes was lead by Brian Kirby who placed a wreath on behalf of the past and present members of the Eudunda RSL, followed by Adrian Schmidt on behalf of the Robertstown RSL Sub Branch.

Many wreaths were laid, including from the Julia & Districts War Memorial Hall, Regional Council of Goyder, Eudunda Family Heritage Gallery, 7^th Royal Australian Regiment, Australian Red Cross Eudunda Branch, Eudunda Community, Business & Tourism Committee (ECBAT), Eudunda & Districts Agricultural & Horticultural Society, Eudunda CFS, St John’s Lutheran Primary School, SA Ambulance Service Eudunda, Eudunda & Robertstown Netball Club, Eudunda & Robertstown Football Club, Eudunda Area School, Eudunda & Districts Probus Club, Neales Flat Country Fire Service, Merchant Navy Association of South Australia.

The last wreath laid was by Andrew Partington who said,
“I place this wreath on behalf of the Merchant Navy Association of South Australia – for all those who died at sea in times of conflict and have no known grave but the sea.”

The next hymn ‘Lead Kindly Light’ was sung by all.

Everyone was asked to ‘Stand Fast’, for the Last Post and the Ode.

The sounds of the bugle and the haunting words of the Ode resonated in the morning air;

They shall grow not 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.

As a mark of respect those attending responded,
“We will remember them”

During the minutes silence, all that could be heard were the sounds of nature in the Memorial Gardens as the many birds were telling us there can be natural peace and what a beautiful memorial garden we were in, thanks to the wonderful work of the Eudunda Garden Volunteers.

The Benediction, preceded the National Anthems of New Zealand and Australia, followed by the dismounting of the catafalque party, and the ANZAC service was over.

After the service, uniformed, ex service personnel and volunteer groups formed up on Gunn Street marching to the Eudunda RSL Rooms, with soldiers of the 7th Battalion RAR leading the march.

Members of the 7th Battalion RAR, who formed the catafalque party at the ANZAC Dawn Service, Eudunda stopped for a photo before enjoying refreshments and a chat at the Eudunda RSL Club. We thank them for attending our district and sharing with us this ANZAC Day.

Robertstown – ANZAC Morning Service

At 9am on ANZAC Day there was another service held, this time at Robertstown.
The morning included the laying of many wreathes on behalf of the many clubs, organisations, businesses and individual families in remembrance of the fallen.

After the service everyone celebrated with a BBQ.

Eudunda Hostel Service

Additionally the Eudunda ANZAC Dawn Service had been videoed and shown to the residents at the Eudunda Hostel so they had the opportunity to remember those who served.

A great reference to the sacrifices of our Service Men & Women can be found at
Australian War Memorial website

Lest We Forget!