ANZAC Day

One of the most significant opportunities for a Cadet Unit to support their local community is on ANZAC Day. Across the Nation, 230 Cadet Units will be sending cadets to assist in Dawn Services, Council Commemorations and RSL and school events. The Waverley College Cadet Unit is no exception and on Sunday, our Catafalque Party, Flag Orderlies and the SUO, CUO Mark Gaponov, will be assisting Waverley Council and Bondi RSL in their ANZAC Day Service at the Waverley Park Cenotaph.

To be a member of the Catafalque Party is such an honour. The Catafalque represents a coffin and the four guards, standing at the four points of the compass, protect the lost lives of those defending our country. What a privilege for our young men and women. We thank CUO James Privett, WO2 Hugo Defina-Sperando, WO2 Darcy Ferguson and WO2 Zachary Straker for assuming this important responsibility. They will be assisted by Flag Orderlies proudly representing Allied Countries: CUO Bryn Parry, CUO Hayden Walker, WO2 Charles Alexander, WO2 Daniel Di Francesco, WO2 Brandon Reid, WO2 Sophia Voigt, WO2 Alison Zaczek, SGT Sachiel Bass and SGT Owen Punch.

On Monday 26 April, Waverley College will commemorate ANZAC Day in a special whole school assembly, where students and cadets will mark this solemn occasion with a Liturgy and Parade. Selected members of the Cadet Unit will rehearse for this event on Friday 23 April.

The Cadet Unit, as a whole, will come back together on Friday 30 April. We are so excited to welcome back so many of our recruits – who are now officially cadets, having graduated from their induction year. These young men and women have been able to see past the impact of COVID and embrace AFX wholeheartedly. They have been able to put into context the training of Friday afternoons, the importance of Section Commanders and Platoon Sergeants, and they have recognised that their contribution to the Unit matters. These cadets are our leaders of the future, and we are so privileged to be with them at the beginning of their journey.

MAJ(AAC) Julie-Ann de Kantzow

Commanding Officer – WCCU