With community awareness growing, a big crowd attended Narooma's Remembrance Day service.
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The national flag flapped wildly in the strong winds on Saturday, November 11, as people gathered at Club Narooma to pay their respects to the 103,000 service personnel who lost their lives as the result of war.
Paul Naylor, president of Narooma RSL sub-Branch said it was one of the biggest turnouts he had seen with two veterans from the Korean War in attendance.
"I am sure those Diggers looking down today would be very pleased," Mr Naylor said.
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Mr Naylor said almost 2,000,000 men and women have worn the Australian Defence Force uniforms with pride.
Many who did not pay with their lives, suffered for years in other ways.
"Some returning veterans could not comprehend or understand what their communities had become and decided that the bush was the best answer, some never to be heard from again," Mr Naylor said.
"Some Diggers returning from Vietnam had been given a death sentence and wouldn't know until years later."
There were 850 personnel in Mr Naylor's unit in Vietnam.
He recently received a list showing that 418 had passed away since 1968.
"We now rely on Afghanistan and Iraq veterans to carry on the tradition of the Diggers," Mr Naylor said.
He also paid tribute to the often forgotten families that remained on home shores who pitched in to maintain stable communities.
"During WWI and WWII women filled the role of the sole breadwinner to provide for their families, not knowing if their loved ones would return."
Cannot afford to forget
Padre Tim Narraway said a prayer of remembrance.
It spoke of remembering those who still bear the physical and mental scars and disabilities of their service and those who waited in vain for their loved one to return.
It spoke of remembering the mateship, agony, courage and compassion of war service while warning against glorifying the horror and tragedy of war.
Five wreathes were laid, representing the Narooma RSL sub-Branch, Quota Club Narooma, Marine Rescue Narooma, Narooma Sporting and Services Club and Eurobodalla Shire Council.
Mr Naylor said as we pause on Remembrance Day "our thoughts turn to war's enormous costs and the toll it takes not only on those who paid the supreme sacrifice but all who served and who still suffer.
"We may well say 'we will remember them' because I put it to you we cannot afford to forget them."
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