The Governor-General, Lord Mayor of Sydney, the Police Commissioner, RSL President and the President of the War Widows Guild have taken part in a Remembrance Sunday service in Sydney.
Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove gave the New Testament reading, after an official flag party had brought forward the flags of the three services, Navy, Army and Airforce.
Police Commission Andrew Scipione led in the prayer of Remembrance while retired Rear-Admiral Ken Doolan recited the ode.
Remembrance Sunday is traditionally marked on the Sunday before Remembrance Day on the 11th November. In Europe and the UK this year, the Queen led tributes to the UK’s war dead at the service at the Cenotaph. King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands also took part to mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation of his country at the end of the World War Two.
At Sydney’s St Andrew’s Cathedral, the flag ceremony and church service also marked the close of the Gallipoli centenary year.
The Last Post, the Ode and traditional Remembrance Day hymns such as O God our help in ages past and Abide with Me were sung.
In his sermon, the Bishop of North Sydney, Chris Edwards spoke of his personal link with the Great War through his grandfather and his two brothers, who all enlisted in the AIF.
“They saw lives lost at the battle of Ypres – where Australia suffered 38,000 Australian casualties. Much of the fighting took place in mud that was so deep wounded soldiers drowned. The brothers were moved from there to the Battle of the Somme. From one horror to another.” Bishop Edwards said.
