Remembrance Day 2024, a time to reflect

Remembrance Day Speech 2024, Sherwood-Indooroopilly RSL Sub Branch, 11 November

Good morning,

Today, we gather as a community united by shared values: respect, honour, and remembrance. We stand here not only to remember those who served and sacrificed but to honour lives cut short, dreams unfulfilled, and futures given up so others could have theirs. For many of us, this day resonates deeply—it’s not just about distant wars or nameless soldiers; it’s about people we knew, friends we loved, and members of our community who never returned home.

Remembrance Day holds incredible significance for me. I lost close friends who didn’t come home—mates who weren’t just friends but also brothers, sons, fathers, and beloved members of our community. Their absences leave a void that will never truly be filled, and while we don’t “celebrate” Remembrance Day, I want to celebrate the lives of these remarkable men who don’t get to be here with us. It was more than their service; they were people with laughter, plans, and dreams. Today, we remember not just their sacrifice but their lives and the joy they brought to those around them.

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we pause, as communities across Australia do, in silent reflection. This moment of stillness reminds us that the strength of our nation lies not only in our defence forces but in our shared commitment to never forget. Our collective remembrance honours not only the bravery and dedication of our veterans but the spirit of unity that binds us all. Remembrance is an act of resilience, a responsibility we all share to honour and protect the memory of those who gave everything.

Our Sherwood Indooroopilly RSL Sub-Branch embodies this spirit of unity and support, and the RSL is more than any one person. It is the sum of all people who have come through its doors and the sacrifices they have made, allowing us to operate since 1919. We are part of one of the most recognisable organisations in Australia, a trusted place of refuge and remembrance, dedicated to honouring the past and supporting those who served and their families. The legacy of service continues here, and our RSL stands as a testament to the commitment of so many who came before us. It’s a place where we ensure no one walks alone and where we remember that the freedom and security we enjoy came at a great cost.

As we stand here today, we also remember the challenges facing our veterans now. This year, Remembrance Day carries deeper significance as we reflect on the findings of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. This Commission shines a light on struggles long endured, often in silence, by veterans who have returned home to face battles within. These battles are not as visible as those on the battlefield, but they are no less real or significant. Our responsibility as a community extends beyond remembrance; it requires us to stand by our veterans, ensuring they find the support, compassion, and peace they deserve.

We’ve also witnessed troubling actions, like the stripping of medals from veterans who served in Afghanistan. These medals are not merely decorations; they represent service, sacrifice, and commitment. They are symbols of a dedication that few can truly understand, and seeing them removed without fair hearing, evidence, or common sense applied is profoundly unsettling. As a community, we must defend not only the memory of their service but their dignity and the recognition they earned. Our remembrance is active, resolute, and committed to fairness and justice for all who served.

Today, as we bow our heads, let us remember that our support for veterans cannot end with words or ceremonies. It must live in our actions, in the care we show, and in the compassion we offer. Remembrance is not only about those who are gone but also about those who continue to live with the scars of service. Our duty is to stand by them, to ensure they never feel forgotten or left behind, and to uphold the values for which they served.

So, as we remember the fallen, let us also celebrate the lives of those who cannot be here with us today. Let us be grateful for the freedom they gave us, for the courage they showed, and for the strength that allowed them to stand in the face of unimaginable challenges. And let us commit to being a community that honours their memory not only in silence but in action, in unity, and in our resolve to be there for one another.

This is how we truly honour those we have lost—by caring for those who remain and by ensuring their sacrifices hold lasting meaning in our hearts, in our community, and in the actions we take every day.

Lest we forget.

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