Join with Fr Paul and Fr Peter as they celebrate the Parish’s traditional ANZAC Day Mass.

In military tradition, the ‘Last Post’ signifies the end of the day’s activities. The ‘first post’ sounded towards the end of the day when duty officers moved around their units’ positions checking sentry posts and dismissing the off-duty soldiers. The final bugle call was played at the completion of these rounds, when the ‘last post’ was reached (source: army.gov.au).

In contrast, Reveille, which in French means ‘to wake-up’, signifies the start of a soldier’s day. Originally played as a drum beat just prior to daybreak, it wakes sleeping soldiers and lets the sentries know that they can cease challenging (source: army.gov.au).

In the Christian tradition, the Last Post symbolises the death of Jesus Christ and the Reveille signals the Resurrection. Therefore, when a funeral of a returned serviceman is held the Last Post is played to signify that the soldier’s earthly life has come to the end and, after a period of silence, the Reveille is played to signify that the soldier has begun his new life in heaven.

Lest we forget.