For nearly two thirds of 1915 Australian soldiers fought the Ottoman Turks over the peaks and ridges of the Gallipoli peninsula.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Among their number during those 240 days, between the first landing on April 25 and the final evacuation of the beaches on December 20, were young men from Bendigo and the region.
Now, 100 years on, members of local brass and pipe bands will take turns playing The Last Post and Piper's Lament at the Bendigo District RSL memorial in Pall Mall for the length of the nation defining campaign.
Last post commemoration co-ordinator Chris Earl said the services would take place every night at 6pm in honour of the sacrifices made at Gallipoli.
"Importantly it'll come at the end of the busy working day for many people and we hope that on their way home each evening they will take that couple of moments just to pause here at the RSL hall and reflect on the service and pay honour to all of the Australians that served, but particularly of course, the more than 4000 people from Bendigo who enlisted and served in World War I," he said.
"We have buglers from local brass bands and pipers from local pipe bands who are taking the responsibility each night over those 240 days to present this service here on the RSL forecourt."
The music helps people remember and the music helps people give thanks.
- Chris Earl
Mr Earl said Bendigo brass and pipe bands had a long tradition of military commemoration dating back more than a century.
"The music that’s provided by our brass and pipe bands on Anzac Day and at other commemorative events adds so much to those ceremonies," he said.
"The music helps people reflect, the music helps people remember and the music helps people give thanks."
Although only about a dozen musicians will share the workload over the eight months, Mr Earl said the whole community was invited to participate.
"The volunteers at the RSL men's shed have made two large steel poppies and over those 240 days our community will be encouraged to place red poppies into each of the holes so that by the night of the 20th of December this year they will be full of poppies saying thank you, honouring the service and saying that we today still remember and give thanks," he said.
"Bendigo people were part of (the Gallipoli campaign) and in a sense it's very appropriate that we choose it as a moment to help bring our community together so that we do reflect, because the spirit of Anzac is more than just Anzac day."