One of my most treasured possessions is a small leather wallet that belonged to my great grandfather, Harold Stanley Butler. The wallet is more than 100 years old and inside is a small, paper train ticket. The one-way ticket took this young Newcastle greengrocer on the first leg of a long, courageous journey, all the way to the bloody horror of the trenches on the Western Front in WWI.

Like so many Australians, Harold sadly never got to buy a return train ticket and died all too young in war, in the battle of Ploegsteert in Belgium. He never got to come home and my beautiful grandfather never got to know or spend time with his dad.

Today I remember Harold and the courage and sacrifice of all those who have lost their lives for our country. And I’m thankful for those who continue to serve our nation.

We tragically continue to see the horror of war across the world and we pray for peace on earth.

Lest we forget!