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Remembrance Day –

Jamie Furness November 8, 2024 4 min read

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By Mal Lynch, Forest Lake & Districts RSL Sub-Branch

On 28 June 1914, the assassination of Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, Bosnia, may have passed unnoticed in Australia and New Zealand given distance and communications capabilities. Not so in Europe. War was declared on Serbia by Austria-Hungary on 28 July and Belgrade bombarded the following day. On 30 July Russia ordered partial mobilisation against Austria-Hungary. On 31 July Germany sent an ultimatum to Russia to halt its mobilisation, and an ultimatum to France requiring a promise of neutrality in the event of war between Russia and Germany. Russia and France ignored these demands. On 1 August Germany ordered general mobilisation and declared war on Russia. France likewise ordered general mobilisation. Germany invaded Belgium on 4 August.

Great Britain had no alliance with Serbia and was not obliged to engage on behalf of France or Russia, but was expressly committed to Belgium and declared war on Germany on 4 August. The dominos were falling.

Meanwhile mums and dads of Australia and New Zealand were living the dream as primary producers and focused on anything but the news trickling through the telegraph services from the other side of the world. However, as dominions of Great Britain, both countries were now committed to the European war effort.

In response to those obligations, the Australian Government established the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in August 1914 and immediately commenced recruitment, pledging a force of 20,000 Australian troops with more to follow.

New Zealand was well positioned to contribute to a British expeditionary force when war broke out in August 1914.

A convoy of ships was assembled with the main body of 36 transport ships departing from King George Sound, Albany, Western Australia, on 1 November. Ten ships from New Zealand joined the convoy as well as two ships from Fremantle. Naval warships escorted the convoy. HMS Minotaur, a British armoured cruiser, HMAS Melbourne, a light cruiser, HMAS Sydney, a light cruiser, and IJN Ibuki, a Japanese battle cruiser. German warships were active in the Indian Ocean and the convoy had to be protected at all costs.

The Australian ships participating in the convoy carried 21,000 Australians including nurses, 8,000 horses and medical equipment and supplies. The New Zealand ships carried 8,500 men and 4,000 horses. These were the first ANZACs.

The ANZAC service members fought in various theatres including North Africa, Middle East and Europe.

A successful Allied counter-offensive from August 1918 caused a collapse of the German front line. By early November, Bulgaria, the Ottoman Empire and Austria-Hungary had signed armistices, leaving Germany isolated. Facing a revolution at home Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated on 9 November.

The Armistice was agreed on 11 November 2018 and guns fell silent at 11:00 am, hence the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Commemoration of the event in Australia is Remembrance Day.

On 28 June 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, thus ending the war between Germany and the Allied Powers. The treaty required Germany to disarm and make reparations.

Commemoration is a crucial step in the recognition of the sacrifice made by service members to restore world order. An important aspect of such recognition is the ongoing attention given to the location and identification preservation of 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth that died during the First and Second World Wars. It also brings together the surviving service members and affords an avenue of remembrance for families and friends.

This Year’s Service

Remembrance Day is observed nationally on 11 November. Our Service will commence at the Lake at 10:40 am, welcoming members and guests at the clubhouse for a BBQ lunch afterwards. 