Albany RSL president Helen Tasker says Anzac Day 2022 particularly poignant as war rages in Ukraine

Anzac Day services will be particularly poignant this year, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine putting the world on edge, Albany RSL president Helen Tasker says. In Albany — where the Anzacs bade farewell to Australia and departed for World War I — the community will come together to honour the sacrifices of those who have served. Meanwhile, 108 years after an assassination in eastern Europe triggered the events that started WWI, the people of Ukraine are fighting to restore peace to their country. “There are still a lot of people that remember their parents during World War II, and of course there are a lot of Vietnam veterans still around and an awful lot of younger warriors from the Timor and the Afghan eras,” Ms Tasker said. “And I think what is happening in the world today between Russia and Ukraine is actually sparking memories and concerns for some of our younger veterans that the rest of us don’t quite understand or don’t quite know how to connect to. “I think Anzac Day this year could be quite poignant for some of those people. “I think the world events at the moment are a bit of a reminder of not just how lucky we are, but how awful things can be.” With WA’s border finally open after nearly two years, visitors can once again make the pilgrimage to Albany to pay their respects on Anzac Day. Ms Tasker said after months of COVID-19 uncertainty, the sub-branch was determined to deliver an Anzac Day program the city could be proud of. “We are back in a position where we can accept visitors back into our community for the day because as we know, we get a lot of people that look on Albany, quite rightly, as being the home of the Anzacs so they want to experience an Anzac Day in Albany,” she said. Replicating last year’s free ticketing system, 400 members of the public will be able to attend the dawn service at the Desert Mounted Corps Memorial atop Mt Clarence. Another 400 tickets will be available for a live stream of the service from inside the Albany Entertainment Centre, while no tickets will be required to watch the service on a big screen at Anzac Peace Park. The dawn service will be followed by a gunfire breakfast from 6am-8am at the Albany Entertainment Centre. The traditional Albany Troop March will head down York Street at 10am, with a 2sqm social distancing rule for onlookers, before the contingent gathers at Anzac Peace Park for Albany’s main Anzac Day commemorative service from 10.30am-11.30am. A public reception will be held by the Albany RSL at the Stirling Club after the service. Free tickets for the Mt Clarence dawn service and AEC live stream will be released in two rounds at 10am on April 12 and April 14. They can be secured via the National Anzac Centre website or from the Albany Visitor Centre. Tickets for the Albany Entertainment Centre can be obtained by ringing the box office on 9844 5005 or visiting albanyentertain ment.com.au.