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War service remembered with flags at Orange cemetery


Orange residents will have an extra way to remember the sacrifice of the men and women who served in military conflict, during Anzac commemorations this year.

Staff at the Orange cemetery have arranged a display of Australian flags marking the graves or headstones of more than ninety ex-service men and women whom served in WW1.

Orange City Council’s Centenary of World War One Community Committee chair, Cr Reg Kidd said the placement of flags will be a poignant reminder of the impact of the war on the Orange community.

“Throughout the centenary events, people have been moved by the sheer depth of the impact the conflict had on the community of Orange,” Cr Reg Kidd said. “Placing an Australian flag next to each of the ninety-four war service graves is a profound reminder of how this damage to families was felt across the Orange community, but also the breadth of the service by so many people.”

Orange Cemetery has 94 war service graves from WW1, where the families of the deceased have selected to acknowledge their war service on the headstone or with a plaque.

Of that 94, 63 people survived the war, returned to live in Orange and are now buried in the Orange Cemetery.

The other 31 are commemorative plaques for people who are buried in France, Belgium etc.

This group includes three who served at Gallipoli :-

  • EDWARDS, Arthur Louis – Private, 2nd Australian Infantry Battalion – died 26 / 1 / 1915 age 28
  • LIDSTER, Cecil Reginald John – Private, 1st Light Horse Regiment – died 6 / 6 / 1915 age 22
  • BEASLEY, William Robert Clive – Private, 2nd Battalion – died 2 / 5 / 1915 age 20

“The plan is that these flags will be placed for each year until the 100 year anniversary of the WW1 concludes”, Cr Reg Kidd said.

“As well, a photographic field guide of all headstones and plaques at the cemetery, acknowledging war service from any war is being prepared.”

The cemetery will be open for visitors across the long weekend. The flags will be left in place until Wednesday 27 April.
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