NO one keeps official records but by many estimations the crowds that turned out for Anzac Day services right across the district at the weekend were easily the biggest in recent memory.
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The fact that this was the centenary of the first ‘Anzac Day’ — the landing at Gallipoli — gave Anzac Day 2015 a special significance.
Perhaps this was the reason for the big crowds; perhaps in an increasingly troubled world more and more of the younger generation are appreciating the real meaning of sacrifices made to peace that Australia enjoys.
And even that peace is more than a little troubled these days.
Whatever the reason it was a memorable tribute across the Lithgow district, not only for those who died at Gallipoli but for all who had served their country over that century.
A Mercury staff member attending the dawn service in Lithgow could not recall a bigger attendance braving the autumn chill in Queen Elizabeth Park.
Some estimated placed the crowd at more than 2000.
It was a similar story at Portland, overturning the disappointing turnout of last year.
There are Anzac services in tiny bush hamlets around Australia.
In our district the most unique is at the memorial in the clearing beside the Jenolan Caves Road at Lowther.
It was estimated that 350 greeted the misty dawn there on Saturday, almost double the usual attendance, Eleven crosses made by the students at Hampton School — one for each district soldier who did not return — were placed on the monument.
The address was given by wartime Royal Australian Navy veteran Ian Litchfield who said the nation must never forget and must never allow Anzac to become a commercialised brand.
When Boris Hunt sounded the Last Post and Reveille here in the Australian bush at dawn it would have been a stony heart that did not experience at least a tinge of raw emotion.
At another dawn bush service at the village of Tarana around 200 turned out.
It wasn’t just dawn services that drew bigger than usual crowds.
This was the experience at regular services right across the district — at Wallerawang, at Portland, at Cullen Bullen and Rydal.
In all instances tomorrow’s generation from the local schools was well represented, not only in marches but in the laying of wreaths.
Lest they forget?
Not likely?
