Remembrance Day will be very special in Wauchope this year, as the RSL sub-branch marks the centenary of the end of World War One.
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The Lyne MP, Dr David Gillespie MP, has presented Wauchope RSL Sub-branch with a cheque for $4,400 from the Federal Government to help them organise a unique commemoration.
During a visit to Wauchope last Friday, Dr Gillespie congratulated President Des Hancock and welfare officer, Bill Wagner on obtaining the grant to organise celebrations and a parade on November 11 this year.
Mr Hancock says they are very excited about their plans to mark such a special anniversary.
“We are delighted to have got the news of the grant and we will start moving forward now to organise the march on Sunday November 11,” he said.
“We want this to be as big as Anzac Day and we will be going around all the local schools to get their support.
“We have already been in talks with St Joseph’s Regional College and we are hoping to have a big surprise on the day from them,” said Mr Hancock.
“We have never marched before for Armistice, and we want as many people as possible to take part. We want people to be ten deep on the streets.
“We have got a thousand flag wavers coming so we want a thousand people to hand them out to,” he said.
Schools, churches and other sub branches and RSL Clubs will be involved.
The streets will be closed off and ex-servicemen and family and friends and schoolchildren will march up to Wauchope Cenotaph, beside the library, on Sunday November 11.
“It will be a lot quieter than a week day. Because it’s not in the middle of school holidays, we hope to have a good turn-out of pupils,” added Mr Hancock.
“We want as many people as possible to make poppies.”
The Armistice of 11 November 1918 ended fighting on land, sea and air in World War I between the Allies and their last opponent, Germany. It came on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.