Fred

[Neville Briggs]

This is not actually a poem but I put it here because of the theme.

For many years the NSW Police Force has had a concert band of musicians. The band plays at lots of functions and some of the main functions they attend during the year is playing at remembrance day ceremonies. For many years the Police Band has done the music for the main ANZAC service in Hyde Park, Sydney on 25th April after the ANZAC Day March.

One of the members of the band for some years was Fred Stringer who played the cornet.
Fred wasn't a police officer, he was a professional musician hired to make up the numbers.
Each ANZAC Day, Fred usually played the Last Post for the ceremonies.
Fred was a returned serviceman, who had been a prisoner in Changi during the World War II

Every year the police band played at the ANZAC service at Five Dock in Sydney.
One year, about 1982, the person who was to give the memorial oration at the Five Dock RSL service was unable to attend at the last minute. This left the service without the usual memorial speaker.

Fred Stringer came forward, and without preparation and without notes, Fred gave the memorial oration on that day. People who were there say that it was the greatest and most moving ANZAC Day speech they had ever heard.

Fred died, I think about 1993.