Healesville RSL president Royce Turnbull and Codie Shade who laid a wreath on behalf of the 1st Warburton Cub-Scouts. Looking on are Lisanne Bonig, Dylan Nisbet, Shirley Adams, Samantha Dods, Andre Nad, Graeme Smith, Bethany Vernon, Rebecca de Boer, Quin Robinson, Shae Robinson, Alex Ganson, Thomas Bray, Luke Moyle, Dawn Doudney, Grace Bray and Ronan Shade.By Kath Gannaway
MORE than 200 people turned out for Millgrove’s first ever dawn service on Anzac Day.
As the black eased into the faint light of dawn over the surrounding mountains, small groups of people, young and old, made their way towards the war memorial at Millgrove Park.
Both the attendance and the moving inaugural service, hosted by the Warburton RSL and organised by Millgrove community groups, were triumphs for the small community.
Pastor Andy Bennett of the River Valley Church was Master of Ceremonies.
Among a number of highlights were the reading of ‘In Flanders Fields’ by Millwarra Primary School students, inspired and inspirational readings from the Bible by Reverend Luke Whiteside of the Baptist Church and a reflection on the meaning of Anzac Day by RSL president Royce Turnbull.
Local musician Steve Wilmette’s rendition of “I Was Only Nineteen”, an anthem of the Vietnam War which is as relevant to the many young men who served and died at Gallipoli and every war since, brought tears.
Mr Wilmette said it was an honour to be asked to sing a song which never failed to give him goosebumps.
Mr Turnbull told the story of the Australian and New Zealand troops who went to Gallipoli and the Western Front, many younger than 19.
He said the name Anzac was usually associated with Gallipoli but that the Anzacs also served with distinction on the Western Front and became the driving force in many battles, including Passchendale, Menin Gate, Fromelles and many others.
He said they were the shock troops who were mainly responsible for breaking through the Hinderburg Line which was the forerunner to the ceasefire in 1918.
“In all Australia lost 84,000 men with many thousands wounded or gassed,” he said.
“Every city, town or village in Australia bears testimony to this awful toll. Millgrove was no exception,” he said.
“The Honour Roll at the RSL bears testimony to the horrendous price we paid for victory in the war that was to end all wars,” he said.
“Such is the waste and futility of war.”
The Millgrove memorial, erected on Remembrance Day 2007, pays tribute to the 26 Millgrove men who served in World War I. Nine did not return.
As has become a new Anzac tradition, young people and families made up most of the crowd.
First Warburton Cub Scouts slept over in the nearby hall and attended both the dawn service and marched in Warburton later in the day.
The Lee and Horsley families attended to pay respects to the youngest generations’ great-great grandparents, Jack Horsley who served in WWII and Roy Balmer who served in the Light Horse in WWI, joining when he was just 16, and again in WWII on the home-front.
Phil Lee said he normally joined his father, Jack Lee’s unit, the 9th Division Second Field Ambulance in Melbourne but wanted to be part of the first dawn service in Millgrove.
“I wanted to respect this community and the effort they have made here to honour local servicemen,” he said.
Following the service Millgrove CFA volunteers fed the “troops” with a gunfire breakfast served out of the fire station.
