For those assembled in Memorial Park, and later at the Club, the day marked many things: the thousands who had sacrificed their life for their country, past and present; the freedom gained; and the innocence lost.

Many stories were again told, as they are on this day each year. One such story was shared by guest speaker, Commodore Brett Sonter of the Royal Australian Navy, at the 11am service in the park.

It was far more than a minute’s silence that stretched around the grounds as the crowd listened to the tale of Captain Brian Pockley, who had served as an army doctor in Papua New Guinea.

Encountering fierce resistance on the ground, he gave up his Red Cross armband, which safeguarded him as a battlefield medic, to ensure the safety of the injured. Soon after he was shot, and died that evening. “Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for a friend,” Commodore Sonter said.

“This camaraderie and sense of duty is revered throughout Australia, throughout the many communities that make up this great nation, communities such as here, in Crookwell.

“As you look at the names on this Cenotaph, you see the names of many Crookwell locals, many from the same families who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the way of life that we have become accustomed to. The overwhelming weight of pain, grief, waste and loss in war, at sea, on land and in the air, cannot be offset by isolated acts of heroic self-sacrifice and compassion.” 

As Crookwell High School captains Lauryn Needham and Jacob McGregor read out the names of the fallen, the silence echoed on.

At the RSL Sub Branch lunch, president Kevin King thanked: Commodore Sonter for his speech; club members; James Evans, for setting up the sound system; the choir; the Upper Lachlan Shire Council; the services club; all the attendees on the day; and acknowledged war veterans and widows. “With the centenary of the end of WWI, we are reminded of the impacts on the families that were left behind,” he said.

“As our very special guests today, we are honoured by the presence of widows of servicemen from WWII. Ladies, your love and contribution for your menfolk can never be underestimated, when they came back from war and sought to pick up their lives in this quiet corner of Australia.

“As with other widows who sadly cannot be with us today, you have also given so much to this community throughout the years. You have been outstanding examples to us all. Ladies, we offer our gratitude and we salute you.”

Patrons rose to their feet to applaud Daisy Arnell, Rita Beatty, Di Every, Iris Hearne, Gwen O’Brien and Iris Waterson.

One widow who lives in Crookwell, Di Every, said she was extremely honoured to be invited in memory of her husband Trevor Every, who had served in the Royal Artillery during WWII.

The British man had “been gone a long time,” she said. “I don’t know why I never thought we’d be a part of this. He honoured this place. He spent a lot of time here. He did all he could to help here.”

The pair bought a farm in Crookwell when they moved to the area in 1980.  

Mr Every, who was deaf from gunfire in the war, loved the district, according to his widow.

“Many people didn’t know he was deaf,” she said. “He would try to get as close as he could in conversation. However, once they found out what happened, they were very welcoming.”