Townsville will come together next Tuesday to remember the fallen and honour the brave at Remembrance Day events across the city.
In partnership with the Townsville and Thuringowa RSL Subbranches, Townsville City Council will host Remembrance Day services next week to recognise the sacrifice of those who have fought for Australia.
A service will be held from 10:30am at Anzac Memorial Park on The Strand, with another service starting at 10:40am at Thuringowa Cenotaph at Riverway.
The poignant date of 11 November marks the anniversary of the Armistice that ended fighting with Germany in World War I.
Townsville Acting Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney invited the community to attend a service, wear a poppy or observe a minute's silence at 11am as a way to pay tribute to those who have served our country.
"Working in partnership with our two local RSL Sub-Branches, Council is inviting residents to join together to commemorate the end of World War I hostilities and those who lost their lives during the conflict, as well as all servicemen and women who have served in all wars, conflict and peacekeeping operations," Cr Greaney said.
"As Australia's largest garrison city, Townsville very much understands the sacrifice members of our military make.
"Remembrance Day is a very important day on the calendar for us to show the respect we have for the servicemen and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Cr Greaney said, for those who could not attend a service, it was possible to show support on Remembrance Day in other ways.
"Remembrance Day is also known as Poppy Day, so you can wear a poppy pin next Tuesday to show service members and their loved ones that they have support across the city," she said.
Townsville RSL Sub Branch Board President Colin Mosch said Remembrance Day was a day of reflection.
"Remembrance Day is solely for the fallen - the lives cut short, the futures and dreams that never happened; we remember them, not just for what they did, but for what they never got the chance to do," he said.
"For me Remembrance Day will always include those whose lives ended early because of the burden they carried home.
"It will always include those lost in training, who readily enlisted to risk all for Australia.
"At 11am all we ask of the community is wherever they are, stop and observe one minute of silence – for those lives cut short, and those who can no longer turn up – to be thanked by the Australian people."
Thuringowa RSL Sub Branch Board President Jeremy Browne encouraged Townsville residents to attend one of the city's services.
"On behalf of the Thuringowa RSL Sub-branch, we welcome the Townsville community to come and join one of the two services being held across the city – please participate to remember those who gave us the freedoms we have today," he said.
"At the Thuringowa service we will have guest speaker Hagar Quirke, who is a Townsville local as well as an Afghanistan and East Timor veteran.
"If you can't make it to either of the services, we ask that you please pause and reflect at 11am."
