School captains speak at Anzac service

Pretty Beach Public School school captains delivered speeches at the Hardys Bay Anzac Day Service on April 25.

Captains Harry Wyer and Neilla Bradstreet were commended by veterans and other attendees at the service for their eloquence and thoughtful understanding of the Anzac legacy.

The school has published both of their speeches in its latest newsletter.

In his speech, Harry said: "A while ago I was asked to say a little bit about what Anzac Day means to me.

"Until a year ago I would have had difficulty explaining this to you.

"However, a few months ago my family and I went on a driving trip around NSW.

"Many of the towns and communities we stopped at had plaques or monuments with lists of names.

"The names were of those who left behind their homes and left behind their families, and they left behind places like this where we are today.

"They left their beautiful beaches and their peaceful bays, with the sound of kookaburras in the morning, with the sound of cicadas at night.

"And they never returned.

"They died on other beaches and in other bays, and fought in places where birds would no longer sing.

"And because of their sacrifice, their decision to go and fight for the things we know to be so valuable, we can now walk around this place, with freedom and without fear.

"We can still enjoy the places that they left behind because, they were willing to leave them behind.

"They would never know us, but we will remember them.

"Remember them when we run by the ocean, or listen to the kookaburras,

"Remember them when we play by the bay or go to sleep, in peace, to the sound of the cicadas".

Neilla said: "On Anzac Day, we remember all those who bravely served to protect Australia and our way of life.

"I would also like to remember the families of those brave soldiers who lost members over the past century.

"We remember those who were in the Navy, Air Force and Army.

"We should also remember those brave nurses, medics and support staff who helped save many lives.

"My great grandfather, Ken Edgerton, served in the Royal Australian Navy in World War 2 and for 30 years after the war ended.

"He was involved in the Battle of Malta, Matapan and Crete and delivered much needed supplies to Tobruk under the siege in the North African town.

"He didn't know it at the time but his brother lost his life at El Alamein.

"He was fortunate to escape the fall of Singapore by a day.

"He was on a dead ship and was towed to Melbourne and later served as corporal of Captain Buchanan's guard when on August 30, 1945, they landed at the Yokasuka Naval base where the Japanese naval officers handed over the keys to the base.

"To the best of his knowledge, they were the first Australians to set foot on Japanese soil after the war ended.

"But he was one of the lucky few service men to survive the war.

"His family lost a brother and a son, as did many thousands of other Australian families and it is those families members who don't serve but offer their sons, daughters, husbands, wives, mothers and fathers in the protection of their fellow Australians that I would like to thank and remember today."

Pretty Beach Public School Choir also performed during the service.

SOURCE:

Newsletter, 10 May 2018

Deborah Callendar, Pretty Beach Public School