Orange City Council will display banners along Summer Street in the lead up to Anzac Day this year to remember the sacrifice of local servicemen who were killed in action while serving in the armed forces during wartime.
Assistant Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Matt Thistlethwaite visited Orange Friday 15 March for the launch of ‘The Local Fallen’ campaign.
Orange Deputy Mayor Gerald Power, who led the launch, is looking forward to seeing the new street banners displayed in the main street.
“The sacrifice of these servicemen is an important part of our local history,” Cr Power said. “The deaths of each of these men left a huge toll on their families and the wider Orange community at the time.”
BANNER: Orange man Tim Cutcliffe is listed on one of the forty banners to be displayed in Summer Street this year.
Forty street banners will feature the images and names of servicemen from Orange who died during World War I and II, as well as conflicts in Vietnam and Korea.
The information in the banners has been compiled by the Orange RSL sub-branch.
As well as the street banners, information about each person will be presented on a new heritage section of the Orange City Council website, and a booklet will be published. An A3 framed version of each banner will also be presented to family members.
The Council decided in July 2023 to support ‘The Local Fallen’ campaign following a motion from Cr Kevin Duffy.
“The willingness of these men to serve our country in time of war should never be forgotten,” Cr Duffy said. “The sight of these banners in the weeks around Anzac Day will be very important for the families of these men. When young people walk down Summer Street on Anzac Day this year they will see these banners and the many connections these names still have to the city today.”
The RSL research found about 200 Orange servicemen and women died in wartime. It’s expected to take several years to acknowledge them all by the creation of further banners.
Orange RSL sub-branch president Chris Colvin welcomed the banner project.
“The Orange RSL sub-branch members really appreciate the efforts of Council to recognise the sacrifice of local people who’ve served in wartime,” Mr Colvin said. “Sadly, there are many names on this list, and we’re looking forward to seeing the project develop and seeing more banners produced in the coming years.”
The banners will be erected on the Summer Street banner poles on Monday 25 March.
