Catafalque, bugler and fly-over on ANZAC Day

Apr 19

Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Mark Donald Binskin, AC will be piloting an English Electric Canberra TT.18 aircraft over Hay on Anzac Day next Tuesday. He served as Chief of Air Force, Vice Chief of the Defence Force, and Chief of the Defence Force from June 2014 until his retirement in July 2018.

The Department of Defence is supporting the march and commemoration service this year with a Catafalque Party, Chaplain, Bugler and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) No. 100 Squadron flyover. Piper Gregory Turkich will be playing the bagpipes and Sing Australia will perform a number of songs.

The Riverine Grazier has partnered with Hay RSL Sub Branch in organising a special commemoration as part of the Anzac march with volunteers carrying the names of the 632 Hay residents who are immortalised on the honour board at the school as enlisting in World War 1.

Ex-students returning to Hay for the centenary celebrations of Hay War Memorial High School will have a strong presence in the march. Hay RSL Sub Branch president, Paul Edwards, affiliate members, treasurer Anne Longworth and Hay War Memorial High School principal, Yvan Chambers have been working together since last year to bring together events for the Anzac Day March and commemoration service.

Mr Edwards will be reading the dedication and the Ode. During the service addresses will be made by Hay Catafalque, bugler and fly-over on ANZAC Day Mayor, Cr Carol Oataway, HWMHS School Captains Emma Johnston and Michael Tumolero and former HWMHS students, Leading Seaman Maritime Logistics - Chef Stacey Rosser, Corporal Joel Brettschneider and Captain Nicholas Harrison.

Vice Captains Darcie Masters and Luke Nevinson along with HWMHS Principal Mr Yvan Chambers will be co-chairing the Anzac Day Commemoration Service on behalf of Hay RSL Sub Branch.

Grazier pays tribute to ‘The Town That Went to War’

We have been overwhelmed with the response and support for our ANZAC Day project; we are aiming to have 632 volunteers carry the names of the 632 service men and women who enlisted in World War I from Hay. Hay truly was ‘The Town That Went to War’ with the highest enlistment rate per capita in the nation. We have created simple A4 cards with the names of each person for the volunteers to carry.

Many have already signed up to carry a name, and several will carry the name of a family member who enlisted. Hay War Memorial High School, Hay Public School and St Mary’s students will march in their school group as usual, but will carry the names of the enlisted, thanks to the support of principals Mr Peter Craft, Mr James Moran and Mr Yvan Chambers.

The Grazier team will be at the War Memorial Hall by 9.45am on ANZAC Day to distribute the name cards and will welcome anyone else who wishes to join us. This is an important project for the team at The Grazier, in recognition of the 100th anniversary of Hay War Memorial High School, in the 150th year of The Riverine Grazier, and to illustrate how many people from Hay came forward when they were needed.