Today the Australian War Memorial in Canberra will be commemorating Remembrance Day with the National Ceremony at 10.45am and the Last Post Ceremony for the Unknown Australian Soldier at 4:30pm.
"The Unknown Australian Soldier represents all those who gave their life in service for their country, regardless of theatre or war. We will never know who this Australian was, and we never will, " Matt Anderson, Director of the Australian War Memorial said.
"He has become a focal point for this nation's commemoration, and we are honoured to conclude our commemorations by remembering him and the lives of the more than 103,000 Australians that are named in the Commemorative Area."
The body of an unknown Australian soldier was recovered from Adelaide Cemetery near Villers-Bretonneux in France and repatriated to Australia, to mark 75 years since the end of the First World War.
After lying in state in King's Hall in Old Parliament House, the Unknown Australian Soldier was interred on Remembrance Day 1993.
Australian War Memorial Director, Matt Anderson said: "The Unknown Soldier represents so many that never came home, lost far away on foreign shores."
"Since he was interred over 30 years ago, thousands of people have come from all over the world to pay their respects."
Every year since the unknown soldier was interred, Paul Keating's now famous eulogy is read aloud as part of the Memorial's Last Post Ceremony held on Remembrance Day.
The Last Post ceremony is held at 4.30 pm every day except Christmas Day in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial.
"The Last Post Ceremony is our commitment to remembering and honouring the legacy of Australian service," Mr Anderson said.
"Through our daily Last Post Ceremony, we not only acknowledge where and how these men and women died. We also tell the stories of who they were when they were alive, and of the families who loved and, in so many cases, still mourn for them.
"The Last Post is now associated with remembrance but originally it was a bugle call to sound the end of the day's activities in the military. It is a fitting way to end each day at the Memorial."
The Last Post Ceremony on Remembrance Day will be live streamed to the Australian War Memorial's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/awmlastpost
HANDOUT images: https://filetransfer.awm.gov.au/message/yASPFGmAXmmDlTdTUMUrKg
For editors:
- On Tuesday 11 November the Australian War Memorial's Remembrance Day commemorative program will include:
- Remembrance Day National Ceremony at 10.45 am on the Parade Ground
- Last Post Ceremony at 4.30 pm in the Commemorative Area
- The Memorial's galleries, Commemorative Area and Charles Bean Research Centre will open from 1 pm, tickets are not required.
- Poppy's Café will open from 9 am to 4 pm.
