Huskisson Remembrance Day 2024

Community members gathered for the 2024 Remembrance Day at HMAS Voyager Park Memorial in Huskisson.

Transcript

00:00At 5am on 11 November 1918, three German government representatives accepted the armistice terms

00:10presented to them by an Allied commander, General Foch of the French Army.

00:16The demands of the armistice included the withdrawal of all German forces to the east

00:20bank of the Rhine within 30 days, immediate cessation of warfare, and the surrender of

00:26the German fleet and all heavy guns with no further negotiations until the peace treaty

00:31was signed.

00:33The armistice became effective at 11am on the same day, and as the guns fell silent

00:38on the Western Front in France and Belgium, four years of hostilities ended.

00:44The ceasefire was made permanent the following year when members of the Commonwealth and

00:49the League of Nations signed the Treaty of Versailles.

00:54People across the world celebrated the war's end, celebrations tempered by thoughts of

00:58the enormous suffering and loss of life resulting from the war.

01:02More than 416,000 Australians volunteered for service in World War I.

01:07Of these, 324,000 served overseas.

01:10More than 60,000 Australians were killed, including 45,000 who died on the Western Front

01:16in France and Belgium, and more than 8,000 who died on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey.

01:22Australia and other allied countries, including New Zealand, Canada and the United States,

01:2711 November became known as Armistice Day, a day to remember those who died in World

01:32War I.

01:33The day continues to be commemorated in allied countries.

01:37We recall to mind our honoured dead and support bereaved and grieving families.

01:43After World War II, the Australian Government agreed to the United Kingdom's proposal to

01:48rename Armistice Day to Remembrance Day, to commemorate and remember those who were

01:53killed in both world wars.

01:55Today, we remember the loss of Australian lives from all wars, conflicts, peacekeeping

02:02missions, operations and related service.

02:06We reflect on the scale of the sacrifice that has been made by all Australian men and women

02:11who have lost their lives in the defence of the values we hold dear.

02:18For more UN videos visit www.un.org