The Torquay community is remembering everyone who served, regardless of age, in the defence force ahead of Anzac Day celebrations next Thursday.
Former Royal Australian Navy Lieutenant Jess Sullivan said it was important for people to unite and show their support for those who served on Anzac Day, April 25.
“There is that unique connection you get from having served, and for me Anzac Day is commemorating the original history, but also the more recent history,” she said.
“Having lost shipmates to mental illness, and knowing a lot of people are still struggling post-service… there is this young group of us who have experienced a lot.
“That minute of silence, when you’ve got that many people together and you could hear a pin drop, just the level of reverence that comes from that can be overwhelming.”
The Torquay Returned and Services League (RSL) sub-branch member said she joined the Australian Defence Force Academy at 17, inspired by her proud army reservist mother.
Ms Sullivan said she was assigned to the HMAS Tobruk and deployed to the Middle East at barely 18 years old.
“She passed away when I was quite young, so there was that desire to understand where she came from,” she said.
“She was with the transport corps so there are photos of her driving the vehicles, and as a country kid seeing a woman do those things, it showed me there was a whole world out there.”
“As a trainee, I was driving HMAS Tobruk through the Strait of Hormuz, and we did equipment drops for the guys in Afghanistan,” she said.
Torquay RSL will host a 5.45am Anzac Day service at Point Danger, with a gunfire breakfast will follow.
