By JESSE GRAHAM
MOUNT Evelyn’s Gallipoli soldier descendants will be front and centre on Anzac Day, with the RSL announcing the relatives of Diggers will head up the annual march for the first time.
Mount Evelyn RSL secretary Anthony McAleer told the Mail that residents whose family members served in the Gallipoli campaign in World War I would be leading the Anzac Day march on Saturday 25 April.
The march will follow the town’s dawn service, which will begin at the war memorial on the corner of Wray Crescent and Birmingham Road at 5.45am.
Mr McAleer said having the relatives of the soldiers at the front of the march was one of the ways the RSL would pay respect to the World War I Diggers to mark the Anzac Centenary.
“Usually, our veterans and ex-service personnel are at the front of the march,” he said.
“This year, the Mount Evelyn RSL wanted to recognise the service of those who had been at Gallipoli – we think the best way to do that would be to invite their family members.
“To really give it that significance, the symbol that really says they’re marching on behalf of their relatives, they will either wear their medals or carry a photo of them.”
Grandparents, grandkids, residents young and old are expected to take part in the event, which Mr McAleer said had received a strong response from the community.
“We put the word out there, and we’ve had a great response so far – there are quite a lot of people out there,” he said.
“We think it’ll be quite special.”
Changing the head of the parade is just one modification to this year’s ceremony – Mount Evelyn resident Alexander Borg will be singing a song he wrote to mark the occasion.
Following the service, where the catafalque party from the 22nd Engineer Regiment from East Ringwood will stand guard at the memorial, the march will lead residents to the RSL clubrooms on 49 Birmingham Road for a free community breakfast.
“The RSL feels that this is the one day of the year where all of Mount Evelyn’s community gets together – all the various groups in our community are all represented at the service,” Mr McAleer said.
“We like to organise a community breakfast where everybody can get together in friendship and fellowship and get together as a community.”
The RSL will also be running games of the traditional game, two-up, at the York on Lilydale from 1pm, with a sausage sizzle, raffles and a remembrance service.
For more information on any of the events, contact Anthony McAleer on 9736 4384.
