The NSW Government acknowledges the sacrifice and bravery of all that have fought for our country. Soldiers have enlisted across the state and regional and rural NSW monuments can be found honouring the sacrifice made by residents, often from communities where the population was smaller than the average present day city neighbourhood.
In WW1 thousands of young men from regional communities, many who had never even been to Sydney let alone Europe, left their normal lives for war, a sacrifice that was echoed through WW2, Korea, Vietnam and even today in ongoing operations around the world.
NSW recorded the highest enlistment rate in the country during WW1 with 164,030 people (many from regional communities) signing on to join the war, with an estimated 21,000 never to return home, leaving bereft communities across the state.
When WW2 broke out the people of NSW once again answered the call, many the sons, brothers or relatives of those who served in WW1, 276,741 of them answered the call with the still fresh memory of the horrors of war.
Today the reminder of regional NSW's sacrifice is seen through the war memorials that can be found in nearly every regional and rural town.
These monuments have a sombre history in country towns where they were often used as substitute graves that family and friends of those who died in battle overseas were able to visit to remember their loved ones.
Today these monuments act as a congregating place for the local community to come together and commemorate the bravery and sacrifice so little gave to so many, and the continuing service and sacrifice being made by those serving in our armed forces.
Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:
"The role of regional NSW communities in contributing to the war effort in WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam and even in present day peace-keeping operations cannot be overstated.
"Families in these communities saw their sons, brothers, and fathers go off to war overseas and were left bereft when many never returned home, having made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country.
"Today we honour the contribution of all service men and women throughout the country and throughout our history and I thank them for their service, contribution and sacrifice that they have and continue to make in order to keep our country safe."
Minister for Veterans David Harris said:
"The Anzac Memorial in Sydney's Hyde Park, the state's principal war memorial, commemorates the service of our veterans from across NSW. There are 1,701 samples of soil displayed within the walls of the Hall of Service at the Memorial, this sacred soil representing the names of each of the towns, cities, suburbs and homesteads given as a home address by First World War enlistees.
"The Hall of Service demonstrates the geographical reach of the call to serve, and signals the willingness and enthusiasm of so many from diverse regions who answered the call to join the war. It contains the incalculable loss and grief of communities across the state whose men and women did not return.
"Today on Anzac Day, we come together as a community to remember our veterans and current serving members of our Defence Force, many of whom come from regional areas across our state. We pay tribute to their service, and we thank them for their efforts to allow us the freedoms we afford today."
