ANZAC Day Token Day

 This and Poppy Day day are our main fund raisers for the year and any support that you can give to make the day a success would be greatly appreciated. Please contact the office if you wish to volunteer to help

    The funds raised are used keep the offices open to continue our welfare and pensions work.

Badge sellers at Thurgoona on 19th April

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The ANZAC March along Dean street towards the Memorial started at 9am lead by the Light horse reenactment group and pony club followed by the national flag and the Albury RSL Sub-Branch president and committee. As it was the 100th year of Legacy the Legacy group marched immediately behind the RSL Sub-Branch followed by the rest of the marching groups. There was a very good attendance in the parade with most groups well represented.

It was one of the best attendances by people who came to watch and cheer the marchers with people 2 and 3 deep or more on both sides of Dean street.

  A big thank you to the Albury City Council for the all the assistance and logistics planning that makes Albury ANZAC Day the success that it has become.

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ANZAC Day Token Day

 This and Poppy Day day are our main fund raisers for the year and any support that you can give to make the day a success would be greatly appreciated. Please contact the office if you wish to volunteer to help

    The funds raised are used keep the offices open to continue our welfare and pensions work.  

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   ANZAC Field of Remembrance

    This fitting tribute came from an idea originated by the late Mrs C J Pope, widow of Rear Admiral Pope.  While visiting London she was impressed by a Field of Remembrance Day held each year in the old churchyard at St Margaret’s alongside Westminster Abbey.  The Royal British Legion Poppy Factory initiated the Field of Remembrance – a day on which small wooden crosses were planted in memory of the fallen.

    On her return to Australia Mrs Pope enlisted the NSW Guild in assisting her to organise the first Field in the grounds of St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney.  She continued with her work until her death in 1963 when the War Widows’ Guild (NSW) took over.

    The first ANZAC Field of Remembrance was held in 1952, and has been held every year since to commemorate those who gave their lives in the service of their country.  A non-denominational service is held prior to ANZAC Day at St Andrew’s with the lesson read by the Governor of New South Wales.  After the service and the reading of the ‘Ode to the Fallen’ by the Guild’s President, the Governor plants the first cross in the Field of Remembrance in memory of the Unknown Warrior.  The Governor is followed by representatives of the City of Sydney, the New Zealand Government and the three Services, who also plant crosses, the RSL and the Guild State President.

    The Field of Remembrance is open from the service until the late afternoon on Anzac Day for war widows and members of the public to place small wooden crosses in personal remembrance of their husbands, relatives and friends who died during or following war service.

Albury War Widows conduct services in keeping with the above history.

Crosses are supplied by the Widows, Red for Army, Lt Blue for Air Force, and Navy blue for the Navy. The Field of Remembrance is in St Mathews Church and crosses are placed there a week before ANZAC Day. A closing service is held the day after ANZAC Day and the crosses are collected and held by a local funeral director. When a Returned Service person passes away the relatives are asked permission to cremate the crosses with that person.

The ashes of the crosses are then scattered around the base of the cross, in a ceremony held at the Albury War Graves Cemetery, by the President of the Albury RSL Sub-Branch.