HUNDREDS of people turned out to Anzac Day services in Wentworth, where COVID-19 rules prompted some changes to the tried and tested formula.
After a well attended dawn service and a march in Curlwaa started the day, the community gathered later in the morning for the Wentworth march, which took a new route down Darling Street, from the Anglican church to the Civic Centre.
The main commemorations also looked different this year, taking place inside the Wentworth Civic Centre rather than in front of the cenotaph in a bid to ensure social distancing and check-in requirements were met.
Wentworth District RSL secretary Dianne Pitt said organisers were overwhelmed with the turnout and support from the community, a year on from 2020’s Anzac Day in isolation.
“For the RSL and for the veterans, it is good because they’re able to get out and talk to their friends,” she said.
“I’m happy that it is the way it is this year because they are much more relaxed.”
For Mrs Pitt, Anzac Day is a time to remember her father, who served on the Kokoda Track in World War II, and honour her three brothers, who went to Vietnam.
As the first Aboriginal woman to hold office in a NSW RSL branch, Mrs Pitt said it was important to heal often tense relationships between indigenous veterans and families and the RSL.
“My dad didn’t march or anything like that because of how he was treated, but it’s time to bridge that gap,” she said.
“I’m proud to be an Australian and I’m Barkindji and I’m very proud of that.
WHILE locals made up the bulk of the crowd at the Wentworth service, some came from further afield to pay their respects.
Vietnam veterans from the 9RAR Pioneer Platoon travelled from across Australia to join the commemorations at Wentworth, as part of a long tradition of marking Anzac Day in the home towns of their comrades.
“In our platoon, we’ve got blokes from all states,” veteran Laurie Woods said.
“So we just pick somewhere different and away we go.
“We’ve been to Perth, Kalgoorlie, Adelaide, McLaren Vale, Echuca, Swan Hill, Lakes Entrance, Melbourne. In NSW we’ve had Sydney, Nambucca Heads, Lismore, in Queensland we’ve had Brisbane, Rockhampton and Seventeen Seventy.
“We’re tossing up where we want to go next year.”
