ANZAC Day 2026 - a beautiful day - the odd bods shine - where's our tree? - reunion vibe

 

A bright sunny (and warm) day in Melbourne allowed the Odd Bods to shine in the 2026 march to the Shrine.

We were well represented by members, ably assisted by our Wesley friends, and all in all, the day went very well. Our veterans looking down on us would have been very pleased.

Here are some photos of the March.

Not everything went smoothly, however. The Odd Bods tree was fenced off to house march organiser's facilities. Fortunately there was a gap in the fence, and nothing was going to keep us from our tree. As you will see below we managed to get some (cramped) shots in. A big thank you as usual to Jan Dimmick for providing our wreath. And a note to march organisers - "Please leave our tree free."

After the march we made our way to the Amora Riverside Hotel, and whilst our numbers couldn't compare to the good old days at say, the Melbourne Tennis Centre, our discussions were just as robust, heartfelt and informative. It brought back memories of the Odd Bods reunions (although we certainly consumed less beer).

We talked about war medals, the crowd, what brought us to ANZAC Day, and particularly the veterans we were related to. We discussed their reluctance to talk about the war, the trauma they must have experienced, and the importance of associations like ours as a way of healing.

A big thank you to all who attended - the committee members, the association members, family and friends, and the Wesley students.

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