Ceremonies throughout the Eurobodalla are growing each year, with Batemans Bay’s Dawn Service so large, RSL Sub-branch president Brian Wheeler did not want to hazard a guess as to numbers.

“It went further than I could see,” he told the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner afterwards.

Ceremonies at Moruya, Tuross Head, Tomakin, Bergalia, Nelligen, Tilba and Narooma were also strongly supported.

Large parts of these crowds, growing each year, are school students, including from the shire’s primary schools.

Brian Wheeler is a figure of reconciliation in our community, fostering strong relationships with the Aboriginal community and honouring the Reverend Brian Slockee with a key role in each annual ceremony.

Yet, he says he been accused, sometimes, of being “a war monger”, notably on social media, for his efforts to keep the Anzac Day tradition strong.

The tag is unfair.

Brian is unable to speak about his efforts to bring the families of diggers who died overseas together without emotion.

Honouring the fallen and our returned veterans, wherever and whenever they served, is not the same as endorsing every war Australia has been involved in.

The Australian spirit is much about questioning authority as it is about mateship – especially when it comes to such serious issues as war.

In his commemoration address at the service, Moruya Sub-Branch president and World War II veteran Harold Barkley described the Gallipoli campaign as one of the most stupid in history.

“People ask why celebrate such a campaign?” he said.

“The answer is that it forged the spirit of Anzac.

“We are not remembering a defeat, we are celebrating the birth of the Anzac spirit, and may it remain for ever more.”

Yet no-one could accuse him of not honouring those who served.

The interest so many families are taking in Anzac Day is an opportunity to talk. Not many would argue against Australia entering World War II. Not so for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. With no disrespect to those who served, let’s have the conversation.

KERRIE O’CONNOR