TAMWORTH’S youth were at the forefront of Remembrance Day commemorations this year, as the city marked 100 years since the armistice of World War I.
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November 11 is one of the oldest military memorial days in Australia which honours the signing of the armistice to end the first world war.
While that event has escaped most of society’s living memory, the commemorations have subsumed subsequent generations in Tamworth who saw it as a chance to once again call for kindness and connection.
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The Tamworth RSL’s service at town hall saw a resurgent crowd, this year, on account of the centenary of the armistice and the sub-branch.
The milestone was cause for reflection across generations, but it Tamworth’s current crop of school kids who took the lead on this Remembrance Day.
Students from Tamworth South, Westdale and Kootingal public schools poignantly sang ‘Why Did They Do It’ by local songwriter Bill Gleeson.
Oxley High student Hayden Phillips made this year’s commemorative address which included a few lessons of its own.
He said the community had left much behind since 1918, despite making great strides in techonolgy, health and education.
“When did you last put your screens aside to experience the magical things real life has to offer,” he said.
“We have forgotten the value of our words and actions, instead our materialistic society places more value on which phone we have in our pocket and the expensive watch on our wrist or the car in our driveway.
“I urge you all to take the time to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, to speak kind words to those around you and take the time to be considerate in your actions and to appreciate the beauty of peacetime.”
He said we should focus on “making the coming generations kinder and more present”.
Westdale public student Portia Jeffrey recited the poem ‘War Girls’ by Jessie Pope and Kootingal’s public school’s captain Jack Chappel led a prayer at the service.