Lest We Forget

On Friday 23 April, John Forrest Secondary College held an Anzac Service to commemorate the contributions of Australian and New Zealand Service people during times of war. It is a time to think about their stories, and remember that they were ordinary people, following the requests of governments to do extraordinary things. Ms de Beer told the story of her Grandma, Hilda Sly and her contribution to the Australian Women's Army Service. On the morning of August 6, 1945 a 300 word message arrived in two parts to ensure its security. It was the 'Peace Message' declaring that the Japanese had signed an agreement to surrender. As she was the Sergeant in charge, and the only person on duty at the time, she decoded the messages. By the time she went off duty in the evening the news had been officially released and people were dancing in the streets. The Anzac Service is always a special occasion and John Forrest students were fortunate to be able to mark this time, especially considering community Anzac commemorations were cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.

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