The Australian War Memorial is leading Australian commemorations with a daily live-streamed Last Post Ceremony, made possible through the generous support of the Returned and Services League (RSL) of Australia and the RSL and Services Clubs Association.
Each Last Post Ceremony tells the story of one of the more than 103,000 Australians whose names are recorded on the Memorial’s Roll of Honour.
Director of the Australian War Memorial, Matt Anderson, welcomed the new support from the RSL.
“For those in attendance and watching online, the Last Post Ceremony draws us closer to the lives and experiences of the Australian servicemen and servicewomen who have died in war,” he said.
“The Memorial is a place for everyone to reflect upon and understand the Australian experience of war. Live streaming of this special ceremony opens up a way for more people to commemorate sacrifice and service from across the country or the globe.
“The live streaming of the Last Post Ceremony allows people to commemorate our fallen from the comfort of their homes across Australia, accompanied virtually by military personnel, Memorial visitors and family members in marking the service of these extraordinary servicemen and servicewomen.”
RSL President, Greg Melick AO RFD FANZCN SC, said: “The RSL is proud to be supporting the nightly Last Post Ceremony, to ensure it can be livestreamed across the nation, and the inspiring stories of so many fallen veterans told widely.”
This week, a Last Post Ceremony will mark the 105th anniversary of the battle of Poelcappelle (also known as the first battle of Passchendaele), telling the story of Lieutenant Arthur Vincent Leopold Hull who served in the First World War.
The Last Post Ceremony was first held at the Memorial on 17 April 2013, featuring the story of Private Robert Poate of the 6th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2012. Since then, there have been more than 3,000 Last Post Ceremonies at the Australian War Memorial.
Families of the serviceperson being commemorated unable to attend often watch the livestream from their homes or with the support of local RSL clubs and sub branches.
With RSL Australia’s support and that of the RSL & Services Clubs Association, the Last Post Ceremony will be broadcast live daily on the Memorial’s dedicated and from approximately 4.45 pm AEST.
Visitors can also attend the ceremony in person, and are invited to lay wreaths and floral tributes beside the Pool of Reflection. Booking a free ticket is recommended.
