The Fremantle Dockers take on the Western Bulldogs this Saturday, 27 April at Optus Stadium in the Len Hall Anzac Tribute Game.
Fremantle have played the annual Anzac tribute since 1996. The game honours Len Hall, Western Australia’s last surviving Gallipoli veteran, who passed away in 1999.
Saturday night’s game against the Western Bulldogs will mark the 24th year of the annual clash.
Hall lived an incredible life while surviving through a tumultuous period in world history.
He played a crucial role in three great battles during World War I.
He was a machine gunner at Gallipoli, he rode in the Light Horse Brigade of the Desert Mounted Corps in the capture of Beersheba, Palestine, in 1917 and rode with Colonel Thomas E Lawrence - known as Lawrence of Arabia - to liberate Damascus in 1918.
This year’s tribute will commence at 5.30pm, so be sure to arrive at Optus Stadium early.
The tribute will begin by lighting the Flame of Remembrance in honour of those service men and women who are no longer with us.
Tracey Hall, Len Hall’s Grandson, Brodie Hall and Danica Hall Len’s Great Granddaughters will light the flame.
The 2019 Len Hall Tribute will especially acknowledge the services of Australia’s military nurses and medics.
Following the lighting of the flame, approximately 20 veteran Australian military nurses and medics will take part in a parade on the ground.
One of these service women, Shirly Mooney, will take centre stage to recite the Australian Army Nursing Service Pledge of Service as a part of the pre-game ceremony.
The Anzac Observance Ceremony will commence at 6pm, after the players have entered the ground, with the reciting of the Ode and playing of the Last Post.
The Last Post will feature 51 buglers, with the lead bugler Mark Underwood of the Australian Army Band Perth backed by a contingent of 50 civilian buglers.
The game will them commence after the National Anthem.
