By Parker McKenzie
As the march turns down Heroes Avenue in Emerald this ANZAC Day, there will be a sound previously unheard during the hallowed ceremony.
2020 Emerald Citizen of the Year Graeme Legge will be ringing a bell built as a memorial for soldiers in the township at St Mark’s Church in Emerald, as poppies are laid at its feet for the first time.
The exact origins of the bell are unknown, however, it was dedicated to the men who fought in the First World War, where 34 men from Emerald lost their lives. It was first dedicated as a memorial to “soldiers of the 1914-18 war” in 1921 by members of the Emerald community.
Mr Legge said the bell is one of three representations the Emerald community employed after World War One.
“There was an honor roll in the Emerald Hall as it was of the day and community subscription paid for that and had it all assembled. Unfortunately, it was burned down with the hall,” he said.
“The second one was the planting of memorial trees in Heroes Avenue after the 32 who died from here, and the third representation is this bell.”
After a 5.30am dawn service, people attending the ANZAC March will assemble in the town centre at 10am.
Mr Legge said people attending the dawn service will be greeted by one of Emerald’s most iconic residents, the Puffing Billy steam train.
“You’ll hear Puffing Billy whistle when they get here about 3am in the morning. It’s quite prolonged, distinctive and unique to us,” he said.
“We know the significance of the narrow gauge railway line at our back door, right within the community, because it contributed to the members of the community and their return from the war.”
Emerald RSL president Peter Maloney said this is the first year the bell will be used during the ceremony.
“Graeme will be ringing the bell as the march turns into Memorial Avenue,” he said.
“The march will come down the main road at 10.30pm, and the bell will be here to welcome them.”
The dawn service and march will be followed by an 11am morning service at ANZAC place, with a morning tea at Emerald RSL afterward.
Mr Maloney said the past two years have been socially distanced events, but this year the ceremony will be back to where it was pre-covid.
“If we don’t make an effort to bring those men back to life, for the younger generation they will be forgotten and we don’t want that,” he said.
“The heartache that went on in this little town, 100 men went to war and 34 died out of a small population of less than 1000.”
The bell, located outside St Mark’s Anglican Church in Emerald, has been decorated with poppies in preparation for ANZAC Day.
