THE new-look war memorial at Gawler’s Pioneer Park was embraced by the thousands of locals who rose early to pay their respects at last week’s Anzac Day dawn service.

The thought-provoking bronze ‘resting hand’, created by artist Robert Hannaford, was officially unveiled ahead of last year’s Remembrance Day commemoration, but Thursday was the first time it had been used for an Anzac service.

Gawler RSL vice president Pat Adams during his Anzac address to the strong crowd said the memorial, which divided community opinion when it was installed in November, offered a place where
people of all walks of life could go to pay their respects “to our gallant service men and women”.

“It does not depict war, however represents what you want it to,” he said.

“The RSL and the Gawler Council decided to take a different approach to a war memorial, so that this sculpture will be a place where a person of every religion, age, race and gender can identify and reflect on family or lost friends.

“Today, we stand here to pay respect to our lost service personnel and civilians lost in conflict.

“Remember, a hand can be given in friendship, used to comfort and love, console, condemn and hurt.

“We want this memorial to show that a hand can also be at rest and in peace, and that is why we are here today to reflect, pray and hope that we can all live in peace, love and harmony.”

Reverend David McGillivray also delivered a poignant invocation paying tribute to the victims of the recent Christchurch and Sri Lankan terror attacks, and imploring people to love one another.

“Conflict is not confined to a dark portion of our history, but now,” he said.

“Even these days, in our lives, atrocities are committed in the name of a cause.

“We still feel the grief of our neighbours in New Zealand from the violence they faced only a month ago.

“We stand in shock at the terror in Sri Lanka this past (fortnight).

“On both occasions, people gathered to peacefully worship, to live out their religious beliefs.

“It is my prayer today that more people will strive to live lives of sacrificial love, to be willing to desire good for others, even those we disagree with, especially those we disagree with, and even those who we may claim to hate.

“And if we can all begin to live these lives, even in part, then I can’t help feel there will be less people having their lives taken away forcibly.”

The service concluded on a spectacular note as a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft performed a perfectly-timed, low-flying pass over the crowd – as part of a number of planned  Anzac Day flyovers across the Adelaide and outer regions – seconds after the completion of The Last Post.