ULONG, Lowanna and surrounding hamlets of the Eastern Dorrigo Plateau communities will remember the contribution of local ex-servicemen and women at a special service on ANZAC Day.

In the village’s annual tradition, the service starts at 9.45am with the school children marching from Ulong Public School to the Club, followed by the ANZAC Day ceremony at the memorial in the Ulong Club’s gardens, including laying of wreaths and the sounding of the Last Post.

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This year Graham Easy, a local resident and grandson of a local World War I veteran, will conduct a reading from letters written by local soldiers from WWI battlefields.

Following the remembrance service, the Club will offer morning tea, including coffee, tea and scones to all those that attended the service.

Traditional ANZAC Day activities will take place in the afternoon as well as live music.

The Ulong Club’s bistro will be open for lunch.

The community remains proud of the commitment and sacrifices made by the local armed service personnel and the subsequent efforts made by the local community in establishing the Ulong and District Ex-Servicemen and Women’s Memorial club in the 1950s.

“Some families were particularly patriotic with representatives serving in both World Wars, including families such as the Easys and Wards from Ulong, Prices from Brooklana, McGraths from Ulong and Timmsvale, Ronsons and Cramptons from Moleton and the Worlands,” Graham Easy reflected.

Graham, along with local historian Beth Scaysbrook and the Ulong Ex-Services club, have recently embarked on a project to improve the club’s War Memorial including the refurbishment of a wooden cross by the Glenreagh Men’s Shed.

The project will also include the reinstatement of the Roll of Honour Board and display of photos of veterans which were all tragically lost when the original club burnt to the ground in 2003.

“These small communities such as Ulong, Lowanna, Brooklana, Cascade, Megan, Moleton and those other hamlets which make up the Eastern Dorrigo Plateau made a significant contribution to the First and Second World Wars,” Beth noted while researching for this project.

“In particular for the First World War, as noted in the September 25, 1915, edition of the Grafton Examiner, ‘…80% of the single men of the Eastern Dorrigo volunteered’.

“It’s also worth noting that World War 1 commenced just eight years after settlement in Eastern Dorrigo.

“Of the 43 men who enlisted, thirteen died (33 percent) and six were awarded medals.

“During World War II 75 people enlisted, including five women.

“Of these seven died and seven were prisoners of war.

“Given that the area’s main industry, that of timber, was classified as a ‘protected industry’, this was an extraordinary contribution made by the local community.

“The Korean War saw two people enlist and the Vietnam War had three serve of which only one was a National Serviceman,” said Beth.

By Andrea FERRARI