EAGLEHAWK Sunday 9 April 2015: A bitter wind drags on close-held suit jackets heavy with medals as veterans of several wars creep carefully along soft, newly-laid cemetery-paths towards a solitary figure dressed in Great War khaki.
Behind the still figure a waterfall of crimson poppies cascade over a shrouded shape, both surrounded by chairs for dignitaries. A lone bugler stands at attention as a quiet voice asks those attending the unveiling of Eaglehawk’s new ‘Lone Pine’ memorial to draw closer.
The men and a few women are seated as the strong poet’s voice of khaki-clad Geoffrey Graham rises above bush-sounds and passing traffic. His words describe the horrors of war on the Gallipoli Peninsular; bullets, bombs, courage, blood, death and wasted youth.
Graham’s words set a sombre human note before a returned-man reads a sterile official account of the ‘Battle of Lone Pine’. One hundred years’ ago, on the ninth of August 1915, many hundreds of Australians, some from Bendigo, were shot down ‘distracting’ the Turkish enemy from a main attack.
An Eaglehawk man, William John Symon was amongst the seven awarded a Victoria Cross that day, though witnesses say many more were earned.
The last notes of the Last Post echo as well known wild-haired Councillor, Rod Fyffe joins Bendigo RSL President Cliff Richards to lift the poppy cloak and white cloth shroud from a rearing Light Horseman cut from thick steel and bolted to a heavy rock base – behind them all a seedling grown from the “Lonesome Pine” struggles to be seen.
Silence again as the small crowd of mostly elderly guests claw their way back to their feet, stand for a moment still as the steel horseman and turn back to their cars.
Younger veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq turn away after a longer moment. Perhaps the wounds in their minds are fresher and need great care, like the seedling from the “Lonesome Pine”.