St Joseph's Nudgee College

April 25, 2007

St Joseph's Nudgee College held their ANZAC Day ceremony on Tuesday 24 April, with staff, students and friends of the College again honoured by the many servicemen who attended the morning.

Ex-service men and women were led onto Ross Oval by a piper and were accompanied by student representatives. The ceremony organised by Nudgee staff and students began with the traditional lighting of the eternal flame.

Nudgee teacher, Mr Martin Kerby, led one of the opening prayers.

"Help all of us to honour those who have made so great a sacrifice, yet save us from ever glorifying the evil of war. Hasten the great day when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more," he said.

As part of the ceremony, the oval became a field of white crosses, interspersed with red poppies. The crosses commemorated the many men and women who laid down their lives during times of war, and the poppies which sprouted from the devastation of the battlefields were, in accordance with folklore, stained red from the blood drenched ground.

The soulful notes of The Last Post, the Catafalque Party presenting arms, followed by one minute's silence, the lilting tune of Rouse and the New Zealand and Australian National Anthems concluded the ceremony.

Principal Daryl Hanly invited Year 12 boys to form a Guard of Honour for the ex-servicemen and women and they were accompanied by the piper to Ryan Hall for morning tea.

The day, which was also attended by St Joseph's Gregory Terrace old boys, family and friends was, as always, a fitting tribute to the men who fought in the wars - those who regrettably lost their lives, as well as those who fortunately returned. 45 Nudgee boys lost their lives in World War I; 102 in World War II; and one in the Vietnam War.