Speeches
Thursday, 23 November 2023
Wreath laying ceremony at the Millicent Cross of Sacrifice
Rod and I are pleased to be with you today to lay a wreath at the Millicent Cross of Sacrifice.
Unfortunately, we are not able to attend the service for the centenary on December 5, but are honoured to join you today.
100 years ago, the Cross of Sacrifice was unveiled by my predecessor, then Governor Lieutenant General Sir Tom Bridges.
Funded by public donations, the memorial honoured the 51 Millicent men who made the supreme sacrifice in World War I.
Over time, the memorial evolved, also honouring those killed in subsequent conflicts, notably the Second World War.
In 1995, a message to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II was added, and in recent years, the name of Private Dennis Nelson, who was killed in tragic circumstances in Vietnam, was added.
These new chapters serve as an acknowledgement that the sacrifices made by your community extend beyond a single generation.
Each name engraved on this memorial is a life lived, a story told, service commemorated, and a legacy left for us to carry forward.
At Anzac Day and Remembrance Day services held here, these stories come to life – stories of bravery, camaraderie, and sacrifice.
Through these stories, we strengthen the between the past and the present, ensuring that the sacrifices made a century ago resonate with the hearts and minds of generations yet to come.
May the Cross of Sacrifice continue to stand tall, both as a memorial to the past, but as a beacon of hope for a future of peace.
I thank the Wattle Range Council for diligently maintaining the beautiful grounds and the RSL for your dedicated service and mateship to our veterans.
Lest we forget.