A solemn ceremony was held at the memorial gates and cenotaph at the Nowra Showground in Junction Street, Nowra.

Hosted by the Nowra RSL Sub-Branch, the short ceremony coincided with members of the Shoalhaven City Pipes and Drums joining in a world-wide event to mark centenary end of World War 1

Around the world, pipers gathered to take part in the unique event to mark the occasion, with a mass playing of the retreat march, Pipe Major William Robb’s composition When the Battle’s O’er.

Six pipers and five drummers led by drum major Gordon Young took part on the historic event.

Addresses were given by Nowra RSL president Fred Dawson and Paul Green MLC.

Wreaths were laid by Commanding Officer of HMAS Albatross Captain Fiona Sneath, Shoalhaven Vietnam Veterans’ Association secretary Christine da Silva and Waratah Re-Enactment Committee chairman Clyde Poulton.

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“It was great to be able to again honour the Waratahs,” Mr Poulton said.

“It completes what has been an ongoing project for a number of years.”

Mr Poulton co-ordinated and took part in the centenary re-enactment of the famous Waratah Recruitment March of 1915 from Nowra to Sydney, while he was also part of the an “emotional, trip of a lifetime” tour of the World War I battlefields with a number of Shoalhaven residents, which included finding the final resting places of a number of the Waratahs.

The wreath Mr Poulton laid on Sunday was made by Bomaderry man Barry Harper, who he accompanied to the Centenary of Anzac celebrations in Gallipoli in 2015, after Mr Harper won two of only 5000 tickets in the Gallipoli attendance ballot.

Wearing his Waratahs’ ribbon, Mr Poulton proudly laid the wreath which included an actual waratah, Mr Harper having hunted one down which are rare at this time of the year, as they are not usually out in flower yet.

“I suppose it brings the curtain down on our Waratahs,” Mr Poulton said.