The haunting notes of the Last Post will again reverberate around Newington College at our upcoming annual ANZAC Day Parade tomorrow on Tuesday 13 May.  

Service and sacrifice are inextricably intertwined with Newington College history, as even a cursory glance at the extensive list of names on the College Honour Roll in Founders Building entry attests. Since World War 1, many Old Newingtonians (ON) have served Australia in theatres of war throughout the world; some who made the ultimate sacrifice and never returned home to loved ones. At the time of its dedication in 1922, the Honour Roll contained 611 names listed in active service, including 104 identified as fallen. 

During World War 1, 111 ONs lost their lives, with a further 63 killed during World War II. Each year, Newington honours their courage and dedication by pausing to remember the fallen, the returned and all those who continue to serve and protect Australia.  

‘ANZAC Day is about recognising and reflecting on the sacrifices that Australians have made to support and defend our country.’

The College grounds are also peppered with an array of other memorials to those who served, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The Gallipoli Lone Pine is a tree that grows along Memorial Drive near the Le Couteur building, originating from a seed that was brought back from Gallipoli. Every ANZAC Day, a group of white crosses is placed beneath it, each bearing the name of an ON who lost their lives during wartime. Memorial Drive, which was officially opened on 29 February 1936, is a sacred avenue of memory which was originally lined with 75 poplar trees to represent the ONs who perished during WW1. There is also the Johnson Oval, which was named after WWI Gunner Jack Johnson (ON 1913). After Johnson was killed, his parents wished to perpetuate his memory at the College, and, through consultation with then headmaster, Rev. Dr Charles Prescott, plans were devised for a sports oval that would measure 140 yards long and approximately 80 wide – large enough to serve as a football field.  

Meanwhile, the Memorial to the Dead, which now honours Newingtonians who have died in all Australia’s armed conflicts, has been the focal point of our ANZAC commemorations every year since 1923, providing the backdrop for the Cadet Catafalque Party ceremony and the laying of wreaths. 

This annual ANZAC Day Parade is proudly undertaken by The Newington College Army Cadet Unit (NCACU) in the Australian Army Cadets. The NCACU was formally founded in 1869 and is one of the oldest continuously running school cadet corps in Australia.

Each year, our cadets play an instrumental role in several ANZAC Day services. This year on 25 April they were represented at three separate events: the ANZAC Day Dawn Services at the Petersham Town Hall and the Mustard Seed Uniting Church in Ultimo, as well as the Sydney CBD march.   

According to Lieutenant (AAC) Aimee Isbister, Officer Commanding of The Newington College Army Cadet Unit (NCACU), the ANZAC Day Parade held at Newington in Term 2 is a significant occasion. 

‘There’s a big parade held on Johnson Oval run by our cadet leaders, we have a special VIP guest who will inspect our cadets, and the school band plays at the ceremony. It’s a memorable event,’ she says. 

This year’s Anzac Day commemoration will also see the unveiling of a friendship plaque that was gifted to Newington by the Friends of Gallipoli. Adorned by the flags of both Australia and Türkiye, the plaque contains a 1934 quote from Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the inaugural President of the Republic of Türkiye. 

As an Australian Defence Force veteran, LT(ACC) Isbister says it is important to acknowledge the significant commitment of past and present serving members of the Australian Defence Force. 

‘ANZAC Day is about recognising and reflecting on the sacrifices that Australians have made to support and defend our country. It’s about being around family and community and acknowledging that the impacts of war have as much of a presence in today’s world as they did in the past.’ 

The continued strength of the Newington College Army Cadet Unit program honours the defence personnel who serve in outposts around the world, as well as preserving the memory of those who have given their lives and service in the past. The cadets program promotes learning, independence, self-motivation, and leadership within a military context, while also focusing on endurance, physical fitness, and the development of mental strength and character. It is open to students from Newington College in Year 8, starting from Term 3.  

Every Friday in Week A the cadets can be seen practicing in drill and applying the customs and traditions of the Australian Army Cadets on the Newington sports field. An Annual Field Exercise is held to allow cadets to participate in field activities and have opportunities to develop resilience and lead their peers in the youth-led development program.  

Lest we forget.