STAFF and students at McDonald Park School honoured those who died in service of our country with a ceremony last week in the lead-up to Remembrance Day.
While the Lone Pine memorial tree planted on the school grounds is traditionally the focal point of the Remembrance Day service, the ceremony was held indoors due to inclement weather.
Following the service, students placed wreaths at the foot of the tree, which was grown from the seed of an original lone pine in Canberra.
Guests included Mount Gambier RSL president Bob Sandow, vice president Peter Bruhn, Vietnam veteran Ross Anderson and Trevor Johnston of the Royal South Australia Regiment Association.
Mr Sandow addressed the crowd and recognised the Armistice centenary.
“On the morning of November 11 in 1918, a formal agreement was signed to ensure all hostilities would cease, ending the First World War,” he said.
“Today we honour the end of World War I and the documents that were meant to stop all wars – though we have not stopped fighting yet.
“In the last 100 years the world has had only three weeks of peace.
“Australia lost 60,000 people who went to war and never came home in World War I.
“Remembrance Day is a day to reflect on the sacrifice of men and women who died in the service of our country – not only in World War I, but in all conflicts.”
The assembly observed a minute of silence and stood for the last post before laying handmade wreaths at the Lone Pine tree.
