The Australian War Memorial’s Last Post Ceremony will recommence in its daily live format when the Memorial reopens to visitors on Wednesday, 1 July 2020.
The Last Post Ceremony to take place at 4.55 pm on 1 July will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the amphibious landings of the Australian 7th Division at Balikpapan in New Guinea during the Second World War. The ceremony will honour Private Leslie James Hanlon of the 2/27th Australian Infantry Battalion, who was killed during Operation Oboe Two.
Director of the Australian War Memorial Matt Anderson said that he was looking forward to welcoming the public back to the daily ceremony and urged people who wished to attend to book a free ticket online.
The Last Post Ceremony is an important part of the Memorial visitor experience and a powerful and memorable way to conclude a visit.
We look forward to welcoming back the ADF participants, families, and general visitors seeking to take the time to hear the stories of those who gave up their lives so that we could enjoy the lives we lead today,” Mr Anderson said.
“For those in attendance, or watching online, the Last Post Ceremony draws us closer to the lives and the loss of but one of the 102,800 names recorded on the Roll of Honour. It is a chance to take stock in our busy lives, and to wrap ourselves in a unifying cloak of remembrance,” he said.
In line with ACT Health advice, a restricted number of visitors will be allowed to attend at the daily Last Post Ceremony. Free tickets must be pre-booked and presented on arrival. Bookings open to the public later this month.
Mr Anderson said he had been heartened by the way people had continued to embrace the archival ceremonies while the Memorial was closed to the public.
The format has been updated with a new series of pre-recorded content which will released this week and run until 30 June. The latest Last Post Ceremony stories read by members of the Australian Defence Force, including some on deployment, begin on Thursday 4 June with the story of Lance Corporal William Stanley Edward Burke of the 2/3rd Infantry Battalion who was killed during the Second World War.
