Major Palmer spoke about “those less remembered”, particularly women, Indigenous Australians and young veterans of more recent conflicts.

For instance, Bellingen’s Sister Margaret Augusta De Mestre, who was killed in action when the Japanese bombed Darwin, January 1942.

And Lance Corporal Richard Norman Kirby, who fought in World War 1 and was awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal, even though his Aboriginal ancestry meant he was not regarded as a citizen of Australia.

However, the most hidden veterans, Major Palmer said, were “young men and women of recent conflicts, peace keeping operations and home bound service” who may feel less worthy than the veterans from long ago.

Major Palmer noted that difference and diversity enhance the armed forces, “making us stronger and more difficult for the enemy to attack”.

“Veterans come in all shapes and sizes so I urge you to go from here today and engage a veteran that does not fit the image you thought of at the beginning of this talk, hear of their adventures and thank them for their service,” she said. 

This year saw a focus on female veterans with an initiative called ‘By the Left’, designed to dissuade people from assuming that a woman wearing medals on the left (indicating that they are her own rather than a relative’s) has made a mistake and should move them to the right hand side.

Lieutenant Colonel Susan Lumsdaine (Ret’d) was one of the female members of the Bellinger River RSL Sub-Branch marching this morning.

She spent 20 years in the Australian Defence Force, initially as an Army Reserve Nursing Officer and later as a doctor in the Regular Army and Medical Corps, before retiring in 2016. 

“I’ve been asked about my medals,” she said. “The commonest assumption is that they belong to my father and I’ve got them on the wrong side. I have considered wearing my father’s medals as well as my own, but my children have that privilege on ANZAC Day.”