ANZAC Day at Bulimba
ABOVE: Canon Garland (centre) is pictured flanked by the Church of England clergy from Bulimba and Morningside parishes for the annual Anzac Day “pilgrimage” to the Avenue of Honour at Brisbane’s Bulimba Cemetery on Sunday, 25 April 1926. This image appeared (page 10) in “The Brisbane Courier” the following day.
AT BULIMBA CEMETERY
HANDING OVER THE TORCH.
The memorial service for the faithful departed held annually on Anzac Day at Bulimba Cemetery took place yesterday afternoon [ Sunday, 25 April 1926 ], and was conducted by Canon D.J. Garland [ David John Garland ], assisted by the Rev. J.H. Steer [ John Howard Steer ], rector of St. John’s Anglican Church, Bulimba, with his curate, the Rev. G.T. Hobbs [ George Thomas Hobbs ], organisers of the ceremony, and the Rev. H. Lilley [ Henry Lilley ], of Morningside.
The event attracted an unusual number of participants, fully 1,000 being present, and the procession was considerably in advance of those of previous years.
It was headed by the Union Jack and the Balmoral Brass Band, under the direction of Mr. S.T. Townsend [ Stephen Thomas Townsend ].
The cortege was made up of the 1st Company of the Balmoral Girl Guides, in charge of Captain G. Hendon; the Morningside Boy Scouts; a number of trainees from the Enoggera Camp; and the choirboys, in surplices, of the Norman Park and St. John’s, Bulimba, Anglican Churches.
The procession formed up at the western entrance, facing the Old Cleveland road, and, to the tune of “Lead, Kindly Light”, slowly and solemnly proceeded to the right, and drew up behind some sheltering trees where the service was conducted.
LESSON OF SELF-SACRIFICE.
Canon Garland, in the course of his address, said that it was a great thing to realise year by year, as the solemn remembrance came round to them, that Christian people gathered there, because they lived in a Christian land, holding Christian faith.
Addressing himself to the choir boys and girl guides, he declared to them that when the day came for this generation to hand the torch on to them he hoped they would keep it brightly burning, and when Anzac Day came, they would see its observance perpetuated.
He added it was not so much the moral lesson they wanted to think about as the sense of obligation towards those who suffered so much because of the war, those who laid down their lives for them.
They were at rest, above the temptation of life and the sorrows of this earthly existence.
He believed today they were looking down upon them, sharing their thoughts and aspirations. He spoke of the lesson they taught in unselfishness and self-sacrifice for others.
They secured for us safety and peace, keeping us part of the British Empire, and preserving a White Australia for us.
In conclusion, Canon Garland said: “We all pray that we may be worthy to share their sacrifice, and seek to do our best to live as they lived and died.”
“The Last Post” was sounded by the trainees, and the procession moved round the cemetery, and laid wreaths on the honour trees planted to the soldiers’ memory.
– from page 10 of “The Brisbane Courier” of 26 April 1926.
