Federation Square will screen a special video honouring 100 Victorian service members who died in conflicts over the past 125 years, in a first-of-its-kind tribute ahead of Remembrance Day.
Produced by RSL Victoria, the 10-minute video features photographs of men and women who lost their lives serving Australia, from the Boer War to the conflict in Afghanistan.
Each photograph is accompanied by the individual’s name, service details, the conflict in which they died and their hometown, highlighting the personal stories behind the thousands of Victorians who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
The 100 service members were selected to represent communities across the state, from Mildura in the north to Bairnsdale in the east and Hamilton in the west, as well as suburbs throughout Melbourne.
They served as soldiers, sailors, airmen and nurses in conflicts around the world, with their deaths leaving a lasting impact on families and communities back home.
RSL Victoria President Dr Mark Schroffel urged Victorians to visit Federation Square to watch the tribute and reflect on the sacrifices made by those who served.
“Too often our losses are seen in terrible statistics but through this video the RSL is hoping to remind all Victorians that these were real men and women from small towns across Victoria and the suburbs of Melbourne,” Dr Schroffel said.
He said the individuals featured had real lives and families who continued to feel the impact of their loss.
“The RSL is here, and has always been here, to remember them and support their mates and families.”
The video includes well-known Victorians such as Ron Barassi Senior, who was killed during the Second World War, and Victoria Cross recipients Cameron Baird and Bruce Kingsbury. It also remembers lesser-known service members who died at Gallipoli and Fromelles during the First World War, in aerial combat during the Second World War, at sea, as prisoners of war, and while serving as national servicemen and peacekeepers.
Young Australians killed during the war in Afghanistan are also among those remembered.
The video will screen daily at 11 am from 1 to 10 November, with additional screenings on Remembrance Day, 11 November.
Its final screening will take place at 11 am on 11 November, when Australians pause to remember those who have died in war and military service.
The tribute aims to bring the human stories behind the commemorations into focus, reminding visitors that the fallen were individuals from communities across Victoria whose sacrifice continues to be remembered by their families and fellow Australians.
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