At the Dimboola Memorial Secondary College Anzac School Service, which was held on Monday afternoon, a number of students addressed the gathering giving speeches on relevant local topics.

DMSC School Captain Kynan Clarke, pictured above, gave the following brief account of the World War Two service of indigenous local serviceman Lester Marks Harradine.


Many Indigenous Australians served in the armed forces during all of our modern conflicts. From the Boer War at the end of the 19th Century, to WW1 and the more recent incursions into Afghanistan and Iraq, Indigenous soldiers, both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, have fought bravely for the rights of all Australians.

On a local level, many Aboriginal men enlisted and served on various battlefields around the world. One such man, Lester Marks Harradine, has very strong connections to Dimboola and the Secondary College, with several of his grandchildren currently attend DMSC.

Lester worked in the tomato gardens at Dimboola and before being called up into the Army Camp at Bendigo with the 19th Machine Gun Battalion. They then went to Colac and from there to Darwin where he witnessed the bombing of Darwin. The attacks on Darwin which lasted from February 1942 until November 1943, were kept relatively quiet at the time, so as not to rouse fear in Australian citizens.

Lester turned 21 years of age while he was stationed in Darwin and then later transferred into the A.I.F. in Queensland. He was assigned to the 2/2 Machine gun Battalion 9th Division, eventually going to Tarakan, Borneo.

The 9th Division, of which Lester was a member, and the 26th Brigade headquarters, were responsible for planning the invasion of Tarakan. This work began in early March when both units had arrived at Morotai, and the final plans were completed on the 24th of April.

On returning from war, Lester took up work as a train driver, married and had four children. He continued his passion for sport - particularly football, with the 1959 Premiership, a prized and treasured memory.

Lester Harradine's legacy goes beyond his sporting achievements and wartime army service; perhaps his true accomplishments lie in his dedication to his family, his strong moral character, and his determination to be an equal in Australian society despite his humble beginnings. He didn't believe that as an Aboriginal person, he had to isolate himself from the rest of society, nor receive any special assistance. While he valued his Indigenous heritage, he was also proudly Australian, and did all he could to fully participate in the society that he lived in. This not only included his Football, Bowls and other sporting interests, but also his service with the Fire Brigade, participation in the RSL, and supporting war widows and their families through Legacy. Lester also believed in self-reliance and working for what you got, values that he tried to instil in his children. He never needed to say much, because he led by example, and was a great role model for his family, his people, and everyone that was associated with him through the years.

At this significant time of year, it is important to give thanks to those who not only served in the Australian armed forces, but who through their example, remind us to "never forget".