The Last Post is now associated with remembrance but originally was a bugle call to sound the end of the day’s activities in the military.
The Australian War Memorial is marking the 10 year anniversary of the daily Last Post Ceremony, held in the Commemorative Area. The first official ceremony, held on 17th April 2013, commemorated the service and sacrifice of Private Robert Poate who was killed in Afghanistan in 2012.
Each ceremony shares the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour. To date, the Memorial has delivered over 3,300 ceremonies featuring individual stories of service from colonial to recent conflicts. It would take over 280 years to read the story behind each of the 103,000 names listed.
“The Last Post Ceremony is our commitment to remembering and honouring the legacy of Australian service,” Memorial Director Matt Anderson said.
“Through our daily Last Post Ceremony, we not only acknowledge where and how these men and women did, but we also tell the stories of who they were when they lived and of the families who loved and, in so many cases, still mourn for them.”
Last Post stories are researched and written by the Memorial’s military historians, who begin the process by looking at nominal rolls, attestation papers and enlistment records before building profiles that include personal milestones and military experiences.
Tickets are required if you want to attend the Last Post Ceremony. Tickets are free and can be booked on the Memorial’s website: www.awm.gov.au/visit