A message from the Mayor: Honouring servicemen and women on Anzac Day
Published on 17 April 2023
On Tuesday 25 April Anzac Day will be solemnly commemorated across the Kempsey Shire. Many of us will attend events to honour the brave service of men and women across numerous conflicts.
As part of our tradition, wreaths will be laid at cenotaphs and ceremonies will be held to pay homage to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the Anzacs. We remember the sacrifices made by our Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel in conflicts ranging from the Boer War to the recent conflict in Afghanistan.
On the cenotaphs are the names of many service men and women who hailed from our area. It is important to honour each of them and remember their service with respect. They had lives here, where they were raised by their families, went to school, and started their employment before going off to war. Each left behind mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, partners and children, and many friends who shared their life here.
We also remember with great sadness the large number who did not return. Lest we forget. Many others returned carrying the burdens of the horrors and losses of war that impacted the rest of their lives.
As you read this, some of you may know of the individuals whose names adorn the cenotaphs. One I would like to highlight is William Henry Simon, a timber cutter, who holds a special place in our area's history as the first to die while serving our country in the Great War.
Private Simon enlisted on 12 September 1914 and tragically succumbed to measles and pneumonia at Mena, Egypt, on 18 February 1915, at the age of 26. He left behind grieving family and friends in Dondingalong. In 1915, a memorial obelisk was constructed in his honour through community funding, and recently, this obelisk was discovered intact in a shed.
Efforts are now underway by a special group of volunteers from Operation Pilgrim, with the agreement of all parties involved, including the Kempsey-Macleay RSL Subbranch, to try and re-erect the obelisk for Private Simon by October. We hope for its successful restoration as a fitting historical tribute.
Let us come together as a community to honour and remember the sacrifices of our servicemen and women and ensure their legacy lives on.
Please visit ksc.pub/anzacday2023 to find out where you can participate in the commemoration of Anzac Day.