Below is a message from the Victoria Chairman of SAMVOA after the 2011 ANZAC Day parade in Melbourne.:
We met at 04h15 and proceeded to take up our viewing position at the Flame of Remembrance on Easter Monday. Once again the large crowd that gathered for the Dawn Service exceeded expectations. With ANZAC Day falling during the Easter and School holiday break, it was expected that for both the Dawn Service and the Parade, numbers would be considerably reduced in comparison to previous years. This however was not the case. Unfortunately due to a malfunction in the sound system not all who rose early could follow the service. I am always touched however that during the proceedings the respect shown through the silence by young and old reflects the importance of remembering those who have paid the supreme sacrifice for their country.
Neville Kruss, Andrew Tulley, Mike Black, Max Newman, Cliff Styles. Up early for the Dawn Service
Once again memories of standing in queue, dixies in hand waiting for breakfast to be dished up were rekindled as we gathered for the Gun Fire Breakfast provided by the Australian Forces School of Catering. Finishing off with hot coffee and Anzac biscuits provided the stamina for the wait for our step off in the Order of March at 12h05 as part of the Commonwealth Forces
The vehicle organised for Cliff our WWll veteran and his wife Josie was a Rolls Royce much to the delight of the pair. It was rumoured that Cliff was trying to organise the driver take him back to Frankston and skip the short trip up to the Shrine. Could you imagine the headlines “WWll soldier hijacks Bentley and goes awol during 2011 ANZAC Day parade”.
On parade were Veterans Cliff Everton, Tony Macquet, Kevin Edwards, Derick Smith, Cliff Styles, Walter Skilton, Paul Roos, Karl Brown, Neil van Wyk, Alvin Horne, Gerald van de Weg, Max Newman, and Mike Black. Our banner bearers were Andrew Tulley and Nevill Kruss:
Lunch was held at The Limerick Hotel this year due to Bells Hotel no longer catering for lunches. We did have our own dining room to ourselves which allowed the newly minted Anzac Medal to be presented to those on parade in a formal and appropriate manner.
The Anzac Medal will be awarded to SAMVOA Veterans who participate in an ANZAC Day March. A bar will be awarded for every 5 years participation thereafter, the bar being sewn on to the ribbon above the medal._
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Tony receiving his Anzac Day Medal & Max Newman, Cliff Everton and Mike Black after receiving their Anzac Day Medals
Thank you to all who participated this year. We look forward to the increase in numbers in years to come and encourage our Veterans to bring fellow South Africans who have served to join and swell our numbers____________________________
Mike Black
SAMVOA Victoria