Anzac Day reflections on sacrifice and service

Published on 17 April 2025

Anzac Day’s Last Post and ode transport Bill Shaw’s thoughts far beyond his own decade of service with the Royal Australian Navy.

While the Anglesea veteran remembers his own experiences, the many mates made and those lost to the passage of time, his reflections turn to those who made ultimate sacrifices in conflicts before and since, and to those who were left behind.

“It’s very emotional, a time to reflect on Australia as a nation and those people who served and sacrificed,” Bill says.

“First World War, Second World War, Vietnam, Borneo and more recent conflicts – it’s a time to remember them and especially their families – their loved ones didn’t come back.”

Bill joined the Royal Australian Navy at 17 in 1972 and served aboard HMAS Anzac, Swan, Brisbane, Hobart, Stalwart, Cerberus, Canberra, Harman and Lonsdale.

Deployments took him around Australia and South-East Asia and profoundly shaped him.

“It gave me purpose knowing that working with the navy helped to protect Australia. It gave me values like loyalty and integrity, you have to have those to be in the forces, and then it just made me really proud to be an Australian,” Bill says.

Bill lives in Anglesea and serves on the committee of the Anglesea RSL sub-branch.

On Anzac Day he will attend the town’s dawn reflection at the memorial in Cameron Park with wife Jeanette before joining a march from Anglesea Memorial Hall to the cenotaph for a commemorative service, Jeanette proudly wearing the service medals of her father Harold Walker who returned from service in the Second World War.

Bill estimates up to 1000 people might attend Anglesea RSL Anzac Day ceremonial and social activities during the entire day, but one of his primary aims is boosting year-round membership of the sub-branch, recruiting younger veterans as well as first responders.

“I’m 70 this year, and you’ve got young people just out of the forces in their late 20s and 30s. We’d like to get these young people in and run their own programs and gradually they will come up through the ranks,” he says.

“I’m active in the RSL because I believe it’s a good organisation, a non-profit organisation. We just want to help people.”

Surf Coast Shire Council supports RSL sub-branch Anzac Day services across the shire.

2025 service details

Anglesea: 5.30am reflection at Cameron Park memorial, followed by gunfire breakfast at Anglesea Bowls Club. 9.50am step-off from Anglesea Memorial Hall, McMillan Street for march to commemorative service at the cenotaph, Murray Street.

Lorne: 7.00am service at Anzac Memorial Park, Mountjoy Parade, followed by gunfire breakfast in the Lorne Bowls Cub car park. 10.45am march step-off from Lorne Visitor Information Centre to 11am commemorative service at Anzac Memorial Park.

Torquay: Dawn service, Point Danger starts at 6am, community members and guests to arrive 5.30am. Marchers step off from Anzac Parade roundabout at 5.50am. Service followed by gunfire breakfast.

Winchelsea: 10.30am service with wreath laying at RSL clubrooms, Winchelsea Reserve, followed by morning tea in The Hub.