On Monday, Australians will gather at RSL clubs, war memorials and elsewhere to remember the brave souls who served "King and Country" during World War I.
In particular, we will remember those who fought, and those who died, at Gallipoli – the Anzacs who landed at Anzac Cove on 25 April, 1915.
Back in 1915, Fairfield had a population of about 9,000 and it resembled a small country town, with dirt streets, scattered shops and hotels, and even more scattered houses and farms. Back then there were two councils (Fairfield and Cabra Vale).
In all, 373 men and women enlisted from the area to serve in "The Great War"; in total,38 died during the war.
Three who died at Gallipoli were Thomas Sinclair, Edgar Alec Soper and Lyle (Evered) Hodges.
Because Fairfield was then such a small community most people either knew, or knew of, each other so the loss of 38 residents would have been an emotional toll.
On Monday, I'll be paying my respects to those Fairfield Anzacs who "gave their tomorrows so we could have our todays" while laying a wreath at Cabra Vale Diggers' 5.15am Dawn Service and later at Canley Heights RSL (6am) and Mounties (11.45am). Also representing Council at Anzac Day services will be Deputy Mayor Milovan Karajcic (Triglav Mounties 4.45pm), Clr Lawrence White (Fairfield RSL Club 5.15am) and Clr Ninos Khoshaba (Smithfield RSL Club 5.15am).
At next week's monthly Council meeting I will be putting forward a Mayoral Minute proposing that Council make a donation to Canley Heights RSL, Smithfield RSL, Cabra Vale Diggers and Fairfield RSL so they might buy equipment etc to run events or pay for services to commemorate all of those from Fairfield who have taken part or died in past conflicts.
We should be grateful to those who helped preserve our nation and way of life through their sacrifice. In doing so, we keep bright the memory of those lives. It is in the remembrance of these things that communities across the nation come together on Anzac Day.