Editorial: Their sacrifice means more than ever this Remembrance Day

It has been 106 years since the guns fell silent on the Western Front, but the spirit of Remembrance Day has never been so important.

As bloody wars rage in the Middle East and Ukraine, leaving thousands dead and many more displaced and living in fear, Australia is still one of the safest countries in the world.

For that, we have the brave men and women who have served our country — some of them making the ultimate sacrifice in the name of our freedoms — to thank.

So today, we must remember them.

Every year on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month — the anniversary of the Armistice that brought an end to World War I — Australians are encouraged to mark a minute’s silence in honour of those who have died or suffered in armed conflicts.

Some will attend ceremonies, while others will simply pause for a quiet moment to reflect.

On the other side of the world, in a particularly poignant show of respect, British railway worker David Wimberley will visit the grave of the single Aussie digger in the historic Kingston cemetery in Portsmouth.

That digger’s name is Herbert Townsing. He was a 29-year-old labourer living in Perth when he signed up for service in August, 1915.

After reaching Egypt, Cpl Townsing joined the 52nd Battalion and was then transferred to the 4th Pioneer Battalion.

In June 1916 he disembarked in Marseilles, France, headed for the Western Front.

Two months later, on August 9, he received serious shrapnel wounds and was transferred to England.

Cpl Townsing died on August 19, 1916, in the General Hospital, Fratton Bridge, Portsmouth.

While he is the only Australian in the Portsmouth cemetery — Mr Wimberley does not want him to be alone.

He will today — like on previous Remembrance Days — make sure Cpl Townsing is remembered. He will leave a wreath, a flag and his heartfelt gratitude.

“After finding out about his service, I felt it wasn’t right him being here with no comrades or family, so decided to make sure he wasn’t forgotten and someone cared,” Mr Wimberley said.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Operation Slipper — the Australian contribution to the war in Afghanistan. It also marks the 25th anniversary of the Australian service in Timor Leste and the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings at Normandy in France.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said we should “pause to honour the memory of all those who have given their life for our nation while serving in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations”.

There are 103,000 of them, including 60,000 Australians who never returned home from the Great War.

As Opposition Leader Peter Dutton put it, “They were everyday Australians, thrust into extremes, who did the extraordinary.”

“In going to war, they left all behind — their livelihoods, their loved ones, and their life’s aspirations,” he added.

In a world gripped by conflict, those sacrifices are even more profound.

Lest We Forget.