Tara Murray
Remembrance Day is a special occasion for Alistair Traill.
Each year he heads down to Craigieburn War Memorial Service and thinks about his family and some of his mates who also served.
“I’m one of five in my family that has served in the defence forces,” he said. “My father was in the second world war in the British Air Force.
“My brothers, one served in the navy 20 years-plus, the younger brother served in the army for 25 years-plus
“My niece was in the air force and myself in the army reserves. It’s just remembering what they went through to make this place a lot safer.
Mr Traill joined the army reserves in 1983. He was in the ballot for Vietnam before that, but his birthdate was drawn out.
“I was going to join when I was 15 but my father said no and do an apprenticeship first and then when you finish your apprenticeship, you can go into the army, the air force, navy, whatever you want to do.
“I said I’ll see how I go. I never joined the army reserves until I was 33, by that time I had a young family.”
Mr Traill spent 12 years in the reserves but was never stationed overseas.
He spent his time training in the Royal Australian Army Ordinates Corp and moving into petroleum operations.
Mr Traill said it was a matter of being in the right place or not.
“I was lucky in one way, my younger brother was like when he came back from Iraq, he got hit with post traumatic stress disorder.
“It’s hard when you see them, he’s come out of it alright. You sign up and if you’re called up you have to go.
“A lot of my mates never went and some of my mates went. I respect them for doing that and I hold them in the highest regards.”
Mr Traill said he goes to the Craigieburn War Memorial for Vietnam’s Day, Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.
He is also a member of the Craigieburn War Memorial and Remembrance Committee (CWMRC).
“I met a number of blokes in 1983 and I’ve kept in touch with them ever since,” he said of those who he was in the army with.
The CWMRC will again hold a service on Remembrance Day this year.
It will start at 10.50am on November 11 with a minute silence at 11am.
It will be held at Craigieburn War Memorial, Anzac Park.
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