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Private William Foon was just 18 years old when he enlisted in the armed forces in 1916.
Two years later the courage and selflessness he displayed as a military runner on the battlefield of the Somme would earn him the Military Medal.
Private Foon’s name was among 25 written on the crosses that were added to Bendigo’s Field of Remembrance in a ceremony on Sunday afternoon, the eve of Anzac Day.
Most of the new crosses represented All Saints Anglican church parishioners who enlisted in World War I, but some represented other service men and women.
There are now 245 crosses sitting in Queen Victoria Gardens beside the Soldiers Memorial Institute, a number that will grow over the World War I centenary years.
Two large crosses have also been added to the Field of Remembrance, one for Bendigo’s own 38th Battalion and the other for the 17th Light Horse Regiment, which was largely made up of servicemen from the area.
Sunday’s ceremony began with a procession through Rosalind Park to the field.
Field of Remembrance co-ordinator Chris Earl said people relaxing in the park stood as the procession passed, an indication of the gratitude Australians still felt for the sacrifices these people had made.
The crosses were then placed in the ground before the familiar, poignant song of the Last Post sounded out across the gardens.
In addition to those gathered for the occasion, dozens of passers-by stopped to watch the ceremony.
Mr Earl said one of the great legacies of the World War I centenary years was the opportunity to learn and rediscover the stories of those who served.
He said each cross represented one of these stories and the field was a sanctuary where people could reflect on them.
“[It is important] so we don’t lose sight of those stories and those people who have really shaped what Bendigo and our community is today,” Mr Earl said.
