Dear Members,
The Australian War Memorial have confirmed that Kerry Rinkin, a member of Class 1/65 at OTU who later served with 5 RAR, will be honoured with a Last Post Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on 7 April 2026. (Refer to the list of upcoming ceremonies at (https://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/last-post-ceremony/upcoming-ceremonies ) Further details will be provided closer to that date by the AWM.
Information about the Last Post Ceremony is available on the AWM web site at : https://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/last-post-ceremony
The ceremony commences at 4.30 pm AEDT daily and usually finishes no later than 5.00 pm. Visitors are encouraged to take their positions in the Commemorative Area no later than 4.25 pm.
Each ceremony follows the same format:
• The Memorial’s Master of Ceremonies starts with a brief introduction
• The National Anthem is played and sung
• A piper plays a lament, during which visitors can lay wreaths and floral tributes at the base of the Pool of Reflection
• A serving member of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) attends every ceremony to read the story of the person on the Roll of Honour being honoured
• The member of the ADF recites the Ode
• A bugler plays the Last Post
• The Master of Ceremonies ends the ceremony with a final reflection.
Men and women of the Australian Defence Force volunteer each day to read the story and recite the Ode. This is an important part of the ceremony and reminds us all that we are honouring the service and sacrifice of the men and women of Australia’s military forces, including the ADF, and peacekeepers.
Visitors are welcome to lay wreaths at the base of the Pool of Reflection during the ceremony. Should you wish to do so, please make yourself known to front-of-house staff in the Orientation Gallery no later than 4 pm on the day of the ceremony. Commemorative cards on wreaths and floral tributes will be catalogued and archived by the Memorial, and kept in perpetuity.
Further details will be sent on when I receive them from Australian War Memorial.
If you wish to attend, please contact David Beasley at dugara@bigpond.net.au
Colin Walker 3/70
on behalf of David Beasley (1/65).
OTU Webmaster | M: 0419 303 296 | E: colin@solomonsoftware.com.au