Heroes of war honoured in Remembrance Day

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Australians were encouraged to reflect and honour soldiers who lost their lives in the wars on Remembrance Day last Saturday.
Originally Armistice Day, the day commemorates the end of hostilities in World War I, the signing of the armistice, which occurred on Nov 11, 1918 – the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae urged the people to continue to remember the fallen.
Australian Minister for International and Pacific Development Concetta Fierravanti-Wells also urged people to reflect on those who had made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of nations in the Pacific.
“The first Australian action and loss of life in the First World War occurred when troops from the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force landed in Rabaul to search for and destroy German radio stations on September 11, 1914,” he said.
“The six Australians who died were the first of more than 60,000 Australians killed in the Great War.”
Fierravanti-Wells said she was proud to have taken part in an event that commemorated the war heroes at a recent ceremony in Guadalcanal and the Kokoda Tracks walk to pay tribute to the courage and sacrifice of Australians and Papuan personnel who fought to stem the Japanese advances.
She said Australia commemorated the 75th  anniversary of the wars this year and they included the battles of the Coral Sea, Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands), Milne Bay, the Kokoda Track campaign and the Battle of the Beachheads (Papua New Guinea).
“The fighting along the Kokoda Track from July to November 1942 was in some of the most difficult terrain and conditions Australian soldiers have ever fought in. More than 600 Australians were killed and 1600 were left sick and wounded,” Fierravanti-Wells
She said that the battle of Beachheads from November 1942 to January 1943 cost more than 1200 Australian lives and Papuan carriers who were called the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, provided enormous support, including carrying soldiers from the battlefield.