Cabra-Vale Diggers Club’s 2024 Remembrance Day Service

Cabra-Vale Diggers Club is set to host its 2024 Remembrance Day Service today, marking 106 years since the end of World War I. 

Held on the parapet of the Club’s bowling greens, this solemn commemoration will honour the sacrifices of the over 60,000 Australians who did not return from World War I and the many thousands more who have served and sacrificed in conflicts since.

The service will begin at 10.30am and we will pause at 11am, reflecting the exact time the Armistice was signed in 1918, symbolising a nation united in remembrance. Distinguished guests, veterans, dignitaries, club members and the community will gather to pay tribute to those who fought for the freedoms enjoyed today. 

The ceremony, led by MC and Club Director Shane Burette, a Timor veteran, will feature a series of special addresses, prayers, readings, and traditional elements, including a Catafalque Guard and the laying of wreaths to honour the fallen.

Highlights of the ceremony will include:

• Welcome address from Club President Walter Robinson OAM.
• Welcome and Acknowledgment of Country from Dr Melisa Williams, CEO of the Gandangara Aboriginal Land Council.
• Opening address by Warrant Officer Class One Kimberly Keily, an accomplished member of the Australian Army’s 2nd Health Brigade with extensive operational service, including deployments in Iraq and Malaysia. WO1 Keily’s address will reflect on the duty and bravery of the ANZAC soldiers.
• Reading and prayer delivered by Nathan Gerolimatos, a student from Patrician Brothers College, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony led by Cabra-Vale Ex Active Servicemen’s Club Shane Burette.
• Last Post Service conducted by Warrant Officer Class Two Stephen Straughan, Squadron Sergeant Major of the 142 Signal Squadron. This traditional tribute includes the ODE, the Last Post, and a minute of silence, fostering reflection on the sacrifice of those lost.
• Military poem and recitations by students from Cabramatta High School they will deliver “A Thousand Men Walking” by Joshua Dyer, followed by the classic wartime poem “In Flanders Fields,” recited by students from Canley Vale High School.
• Musical tributes performed by Dianne Solomon, who will sing the Australian National Anthem and “Abide with Me,” a hymn beloved for its message of hope and resilience.

The Remembrance Day address will be given by Warrant Officer Class One Megan White, concluding the formal reflections with a message of unity and remembrance.

Closing remarks will be offered by Tri Vo, MP for Cabramatta and Patron of the Club, encouraging attendees to carry forward the torch of remembrance and gratitude.

The Cabra-Vale Diggers Club extends an invitation to all members and the local community to join in this special day of remembrance, honouring the men and women who have served and sacrificed in conflicts past and present. A light lunch and refreshments will be provided for guests following the service in the Club’s dining area.

Lest We Forget.

For further information, click here.