ANZAC Day Service

MLC School students and staff acknowledged ANZAC Day 2021 through attendance at community events, a commemoration ceremony held at Newington College and services at MLC School. For the first time, our Cadets were involved, adding both a sense of gravitas and a visible connection to those who served in the wars.

At each of these events, we heard the inspiring and sometimes sad stories of the ANZACs and those who fought in other wars. At our own services, we also learnt more about how MLC School Old Girls contributed to the war effort. 

In 1917, MLC School girls worked tirelessly to support the war effort and one of their most significant contributions was knitting socks, as described in our School History, Walk in The Light;

‘I remember well our knitting of socks and comforts. We each contributed one penny per week of our pocket money for buying wool, and knitting bags were on every desk and swinging on our arms at odd moments. For half an hour after tea each night, while Miss Sutton read aloud, we all knitted hard and in silence, except for the uncanny clicking, clicking of hundreds of steel needles. One week we made almost 100 pairs of socks, to send in parcels to Newington old boys at the front’. By the end of 1917 the MLC School girls had knitted more than 640 pairs of socks and by the end of the war, they had made more than 1000 pairs of socks. (p 58)

Our Old Girls served as nurses during World War I as nursing was the only service role available for Australian women at that time. It was not until World War II that women were asked to serve in non-nursing roles. Thousands of young Australian women left home to join the new women’s auxiliary services: the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF), the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) and the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS). Nurses joined the two new nursing services: the Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service (RAAFNS) and the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service (RANNS) as well as the existing Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS). In December 1942, the Australian Army Medical Women’s Service (AAMWS) was established and members served as nursing aides alongside army nurses.

The phrase ‘Lest We Forget’ is used at Anzac Day to remind us all of the peril of failing to remember the damages of war, and a plea to not forget the past sacrifices of those whose courage and bravery served to keep us safe at home. Our Old Girls are part of that proud, noble sacrifice and their bravery is commemorated on the School Honour Boards located in Potts Hall.

Lest We Forget.

– Lisa Moloney
Principal

Sources:
Barbara Hoffman, School Archivist
and Walk In The Light