The men who fought in the Great War were not just soldiers, they were husbands, sons, brothers, and fathers.
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Such was the premise of the Beaconsfield Remembrance Day celebration, which included a Family Fun Day.
The traditional laying of wreaths and poppies soon made way for a jumping castle and inflatable slide, as the community was invited to commemorate 100 years since the armistice that ended World War One came into force.
Beaconsfield RSL sub-branch president Greg Amos said the family-themed event was about recognising the Australian households impacted by war.
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“There were a lot of families left behind when the men went away, so this was really for them,” he said
“It’s a story that is not always told, so it’s good to be able to bring the community together like this.”
Pupils from Beaconsfield Primary School had the opportunity to make their own contributions to the day, colouring Remembrance Day pictures that were displayed alongside war memorabilia in the community hall.
They had the choice of a Remembrance Day cross, a bunch of poppies, or a soldier in uniform.
Mr Amos said the artistic contributions were just one way in which the sub-branch got younger members of the community involved in Remembrance Day.
“We visited the school to teach the pupils what the day is about, while also encouraging them to come along,” he said.
“Some of what they have done with the colouring is just terrific.”
There were other forms of poppy-inspired art showcased at the hall, with a large quilt and a 5D diamond painting also on display.
Both pieces were the work of Anna Schofield, wife of sub-branch treasurer John Schofield.
It’s not the first time she has donated her creations to the RSL, having also made a quilt for Remembrance Day two years ago.
This year, it she added a new medium to her repertoire, putting thousands of small beads together to create the diamond painting.
Mrs Schofield said the quilt and the 5D painting required substantial time commitments.
“The quilt took about 20 hours, but the diamond painting was probably a couple of weeks,” she said.
“With the quilt, it was just a matter of organising the panels, and cutting them down until I was happy with the end result.
“Figuring out the best way to design the fabrics was probably the most challenging part of the process.”