Remembrance Day Report 2025

 Remembrance Day (11th. November) commemorates the end of WW1. In the UK it is conducted as Remembrance Sunday on the Sunday nearest 11th November. Australia adopted that practice up until the 1970's but now we conduct services on the actual date of the signing of the Armistice  - 11/11. Services are held in a variety of locations.

Repatriation Hospital Heidelberg.

On Tuesday 11/11/2025 representatives of the Odd Bods laid a wreath in the Remembrance Garden of  the Repatriation Hospital in Heidelberg, Melbourne. The Odd Bods have a long association with the Repatriation Hospital. One of the original Odd Bods banners was made by a seamstress in the hospital laundry. That banner served many good years at Odd Bods events including the Anzac Day March and is now on display in the hospital chapel. We also have a prominent brass plaque dedicated to Odd Bods in their Remembrance Garden. Nearby is a plaque dedicated to Odd Bod Joe Shuttleworth who was a Director of Administrative Services at the Hospital.

FOTOBAI President Peter Randell, Treasurer Gary Elliott, and Committee Member Robyn Bell attended this years service as shown in our lead photograph.

Poppies In Korumburra:

Amanda Riley is Daughter of FOTOBAI Secretary Greg Smith and Grandaughter of Odd Bods co-founder George Smith. She is also an ex Treasurer of the Medium Bombers Association in the UK. 

Amanda and husband Guy have a property at Korumburra in S.E.Gippsland, and their vegetable garden displays the Remembrance Day icon (RedPoppies) at this time of year. 

11th November is special to Amanda & Guy for a number of reason including the fact that their daughter was born on this day, and fittingly, her name is Poppy. Some lovely family connections.

Our photo was taken after the red poppies had been picked but the significance of these blooms has not been lost.