By Margaret Maccoll
Sadly WWII Women’s Australian Auxiliary Airforce (WAAF) centenarian Wilma (Billie) Ayles was not well enough to join the Anzac Day parade last Sunday but thousands came to cheer on the veterans and other participants in the Cooroy-Pomona RSL Sub-branch event.
Among those attending was Dennis Thompson (known as Thommo) who was one of only two people in Australia named Anzac of the Year for their service to veterans and the community.
In 2010 Dennis began ferrying veterans to appointments and services such as doctors’ appointments. Over the years he has assisted veterans in accessing their welfare entitlements and expanded the voluntary transport service to members of the community.
Now with two vehicles and two drivers the service last year covered more than 27,000km.
“We have a lot of elderly who need some sort of transport,” he said.
School children representing schools across the shire also joined in the parade to walk for those who had given their lives in conflict.
The children carried tablets containing the names of 81 local people who had lost their life in war.
Club president Patricia Geelan thanked those who attended to pay their respects to those who had served or sacrificed their lives for our country.
“It’s lovely after COVID to see so many people out there,” she said. “It’s a very important day in the community. There are very few people who don’t know someone or have had someone in their family who has served their country.”
