THE Millicent sub-branch of the Returned and Services League expects large numbers to pause briefly today morning to honour wartime service and sacrifice at the annual Remembrance Day service.
It will be exactly 99 years since the guns fell silent and an armistice was signed to mark the end of World War I.
Millicent RSL president Chris Mathias told The South Eastern Times there had been a number of other wartime commemorations across the nation in recent weeks.
Mr Mathias said these had marked 75 years since the Battle of El Alamein and the Battle for Kokoda, as well as 100 years since the Battle of Beersheba.
“As Remembrance Day falls on a Saturday this year, we expect numbers in attendance will be up,” Mr Mathias said.
“Wattle Range Mayor Peter Gandolfi will be there and giving a talk, while Member for Barker Tony Pasin and Member for MacKillop Mitch Williams will also lay wreaths.”
Mr Mathias is hopeful that some local World War II veterans can be present.
He said there was already a good response from local schools and RSL members would be giving talks in the coming days at St Anthony’s School and Newbery Park Primary School.
Most of the usual Remembrance Day arrangements staged by the RSL will apply in Millicent just before 11am.
A service will start at the Cross of Sacrifice at about 10.45am and a minute of silence will be observed at 11am.
It will be led by Father Dean Marin of the Millicent Catholic Church.
A service starting art 10.30am will be held in the Diva Room at Boneham Aged Care Services in Millicent.
As part of the Remembrance Day observation, the Millicent RSL again erected a field of cross poppies on Sunday morning to honour those local service personnel who have died in battle or since.
Also known as remembrance crosses, there are 220 white wooden crosses emblazoned with a red poppy.
Most carry the name of a deceased local member of the armed forces.
This Millicent tradition dates back to the 1990s and was initiated by then Millicent RSL president and former merchant mariner Syd Pelling (now deceased).
The annual general meeting of the Millicent RSL is being held next month and planning for the commemorative events for 2018 will get under way.
