Belgravia Road to Orange Tuesday 27th October 2015
The marchers left the picturesque property “Stirling” at 6.30 am this morning, after a cold windy night.
They arrived at Cook Park in Orange at 12.30 am, and many had a look at the WWI display in Blowes Conservatory, which has 26 banners on display, including one on the Coo-ee March, and others with stories of WWI servicemen and women who enlisted in Orange.
There was also a lovely garden bed full of red poppies, and lavender and rosemary, with a plaque “Plants of Gallipoli”.
At 2 pm the Orange High School Band lead the parade down Summer Street to the Orange War Memorial in Robertson Park, followed by the Coo-ee marchers, and representatives from several schools in Orange with many waving flags, and also the Army cadets, and scouts.
A commemorative service was held at the Orange War Memorial at 2.30 pm, at which the Hon. John Cobb MP, and the Mayor of Orange, Cr. John Davis, gave speeches. Helen Thompson gave a brief talk about the two Coo-ees from the Orange district who died while on active service in WWI.
The marchers then had a lovely afternoon tea at the CWA hall in Robertson Park, before retiring to Romani Barracks for the evening.
Good on you guys!
My grandfather was the first to welcome the marchers in 1915 both at Balladoran and Eumungerie giving speeches that became an endless activity as they progressed to Sydney.
At Mogriguy the nest village stop, relatives fed and bathed them at Alton Park.
From 26 men to 263 by the time they reached Sydney this march was the first of ten recruitment marches.
Great to see the re-enactment.
Graham McLennan
Orange
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