Attendees commemorating Remembrance Day at the Soldiers Memorial Institute at Pall Mall were invited to bring along their own bells and partake in the moment.

Bells also tolled around the city to mark the 100th anniversary of the signing of the armistice.

“On the Western Front, the guns fell silent at 11 o'clock on the 11th day of the 11th month, 1918,” service MC Jonathan Ridnell said.

“But it wasn't until midnight on that 11th of November, 1918, that the official notice was given to Bendigo that World War I had officially ended by the signing of the armistice at Compiègne. 

“And it wasn’t until 2am on the 12th of November, 1918, that the mayor of Bendigo city, Cr Dunstan, read a message from the Governor-General from the steps of the town hall.”

“Afterwards, Archdeacon Aiekin led a singing of a hymn to the sounds of the ringing of the fire bells, the peals of St Paul's bells and the tolling of the town clock, awaking the people of Bendigo to the news, who came into the streets in large numbers.”

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It wasn’t until the following year, on the first anniversary of the armistice, that the first two minutes’ silence was commemorated on Remembrance Day.

The chiming of bells wasn’t the only aspect of the original armistice celebrations the city recreated to mark the anniversary.

This year’s Remembrance Day commemorations started with a parade from the town hall, much like that which took place 100 years earlier. Only, it ended at the Soldiers Memorial Institute rather than the Queen Elizabeth Oval.

Veterans, including Bill Hosking, had pride of place in the parade. 

The 94-year-old followed in the footsteps of his father and several great-uncles in serving his country.

He served in Darwin during World War II, when the city was bombed by the Japanese.

“I was four years in the RAAF,” Mr Hosking said.

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He laid a wreath on behalf of the Darwin Defenders, a committee he served as secretary for more than 14 years.

Mr Hosking said he was one of 27 Darwin defenders in Bendigo.

In addition to remembering past service, guest speaker Brigadier Susan Coyle attested to the skill and dedication of today’s defence personnel.

As the Commander of the Australian Army’s 6^th Brigade, she emphasised the importance of Remembrance Day.

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