Service in recent conflicts remembered at Nambucca Heads Nambucca Valley Nambucca Valley by News Of The Area - Modern Media - July 19, 2024July 19, 2024 Seaman Gil Ellicott reads prayers at the service as his father and the MC for the service, Nambucca Heads RSL sub-Branch Vice President Mr Chris Ellicott, looks on. Photo: Chris Hewgill. ON Thursday 11 July the Nambucca Heads RSL sub-Branch hosted a Service of Commemoration formally recognising the end of Australian involvement in the conflict in Afghanistan. The service showed respect for the lives lost and wounds received by ADF personnel in Middle East conflicts (Iraq and Afghanistan), and honoured the service given in the various modern conflicts the ADF has engaged in since the 1990s. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au The gathering listened to a thought provoking and relevant address delivered by an Army veteran of the conflict in Afghanistan, Mr Matt Campbell, who now resides in Nambucca Heads. A highlight of the service was the reading of prayers by Seaman Gil Ellicott, a currently serving member of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Seaman Ellicott is the son of the Master of Ceremonies (MC) for the event, Mr Chris Ellicott. “I was honoured to be the MC for this service and I think it is very important to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who have served and who continue to serve in the defence of our nation,” said Mr Ellicott, Vice President of the Nambucca Heads RSL sub-Branch. “It was also a particularly proud moment for me to have my son, Gil, here today as a part of this service of commemoration.” Also in attendance was the Member for Oxley, Mr Michael Kemp MP, who is a former serving member of the Australian Defence Force and a veteran of recent conflicts in the Middle East. “It is important to recognise those who served in Afghanistan, our longest war, and other conflicts, and to acknowledge that many of our veterans and their families still need community and governmental support,” Mr Kemp told News Of The Area. Mr Kemp placed a wreath on the cenotaph as did the Mayor of the Nambucca Valley, Mrs Rhonda Hoban OAM, whose son is an officer serving with the Royal Australian Navy. This service was the inaugural event to commemorate the nation’s involvement in recent conflicts and Mr Ellicott noted that, due to the public support shown on the day, the service is likely to become an annual event. By Mick BIRTLES Afghanistan veteran Mr Matt Campbell addresses the service. Photo: Chris Hewgill. Five recipients of the Order of Australia were present at the service. (L-R) Mr Brian Duncan OAM, Mr John Kent OAM, Mayor Rhonda Hoban OAM, Mr Jim Cameron OAM and Mr Wayne Mason OAM. Photo: Chris Hewgill. Oxley MP and Middle East veteran Mr Michael Kemp lays a wreath in remembrance while a piper plays the ‘Lament’. Photo: Chris Hewgill. The President and Vice President of the Nambucca Heads RSL sub-Branch, Mr Dennis Lane and Mr Chris Ellicott, lead the service in standing as the ‘Last Post’ is played in memory of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Photo: Chris Hewgill.
