Batemans Bay Remembrance Day service respecting mateship and sacrifice

What is Remembrance Day and why do we commemorate it?

Clyde Street Batemans Bay was closed to traffic as a multi-generational crowd gathered to pay their respects and to remember the sacrifices made by Australian soldiers at war. The service included the last post, the ode, a minutes silence at 11am and Australian and New Zealand national anthems.

Batemans Bay's Ian and Carlene Headrick have travelled the world to many historically significant war memorials and battlefields from WWI and WWII. They've visited Menin Gate in Belgium and the battlefields of France, but said they loved coming to their community's memorial service and haven't missed a ceremony in Batemans Bay in more than 20 years.

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"It's a part of Australian history," Ms Headrick said.

Mr Headrick served in the commando regiment, and said Remembrance Day was a moment of mateship.

"We are here to remember a few of our mates and to pay our respects to people that died," he said.

Students leaders from Carroll College read the names of 26 people from the Eurobodalla who did not return from WWI and WWII. The oldest on the list was just 36; the youngest, barely 20.

Mr Headrick said it was important for the younger generation to continue the Remembrance Day tradition.

"They've got to understand history and why things were done and what the consequences were," he said.