ANZAC Day

ANZAC Day Memorial 

At dawn on Thursday 25th April, our College Principal, Kerryn Sandford, and some student leaders attended an ANZAC services at the Shrine of Remembrance and RSL in Ringwood to honour those who fought and died for our country.

Nick McGowan MP - Member for Ringwood, had the following to say about our students:

Our future is well and truly in great hands if the School Captains and Prefects of Heathmont College are anything to go by 💜

 

I was totally inspired to meet and speak with them this morning at 5:30am 

With a focus on peacekeepers, the ANZAC Service at the Shrine of Remembrance worked hard to bring memories back to life without glorifying war. Justin Smith, who ran the dawn service, opened with a quote from a Gallipoli soldier, Pompey Elliot:

'When anyone speaks to you of the glory of war, picture to yourself a narrow line of trenches, two and sometimes three deep with bodies mangled and torn beyond description by the bombs. Live among this for days. This is war, and such is glory.'

That last line; 'This is war, and such is glory', was repeated often throughout the service.

The service honoured Australians who had served in peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan, Indonesia, Cambodia and other countries, retelling stories of death, bravery and comradery in a tone that has become common for dawn services. With a mention of 'boy soldiers' - those that had joined war efforts by lying about their ages - as well, the commemorative stories of this years' service brought several of the people around me to tears.

It was a beautiful and important service. I was proud to be there, representing Heathmont College this year.

Evie Taylor

School Captain