In Port Macquarie, Wauchope and the Camden Haven, Hastings District residents commemorated the 53rd anniversary of Anzac Day at impressive ceremonies in the dawn and mid-morning, with reunion dinners to follow for those who served their country at war.

Attendances were high at all ceremonies and the significance of this day is ever growing in strength on the Hastings as throughout the Commonwealth.

The catafalque party was already stationed at the soldiers’memorial on Horton Street as parade master Digger Cec Johnson marched more than 100 returned servicemen from the RSL Club for the Dawn Service. 

The Last Post (buglers Jack Pike and Ray Low) had sounded, sub-branch president Jack Steep had placed a wreath on the monument, and the Reverend Father Mills, after prayer, was concluding a brief but very fine oration as the dawn pierced a murky sky.

Later, standard bearers led the march of 230 returned servicemen women along Horton Street to the memorial. They were followed by the Town Band and a large contingent of scouts, cubs, guides,  brownies and schoolchildren. 

When the marchers assembled with those already at the monument, there were more than 1000 people for the commemoration led by RSL Sub-branch president Jack Steep. 

With him on the dais for prayers and other duties were Diggers Dick Bawden (RSL Sub-branch secretary), Harry Foll, Les Russell and Bob Bryen. Delivering the oration was former Army Chaplain Reverend R. Allen, Presbyterian Minister Port Macquarie. 

The commemoration was augmented considerably by the presence and participation of the high school choir, led by Mr Wal Sneddon, with music provided by the town band, led by Digger Jack Pike.

Wreaths were laid and a commemoration booklet placed on the monument for Mrs Nita Hyde. 

A glorious setting in the RSL Club auditorium, where members of the RSL Auxiliary had been at work for hours preceding, greeted the close to 400 at the Anzac Day reunion dinner at Port Macquarie.

Sub-branch president Digger Jack Steep presided and several toasts were honoured. The main toast, “The day we celebrate”was proposed by D.N.E. McLaren.

“It is my pleasure,” he said, “to propose the toast ‘The Day We Celebrate’. At a gathering such as this when we have enjoyed a very nice dinner and able to join with many old and some new friends, we should reflect for a few minutes and take our minds back 53 years, when the first Anzac Commemoration service was held. 

“But those of us who can do so must go back 53 years to recall that epic morning – at dawn, April 25th, 1915, when so many of our soldiers, with their New Zealand comrades and allied forces, landed on the beaches and stormed the hills of Gallipoli, with unfortunately such disastrous results. 

“Some of you present have a vivid memory of that campaign and we join with you in the celebration of Anzac Day which has meant so much not only to Australians individually, but to Australia and New Zealand as domains of the British Commonwealth.