THE tour to Gallipoli and its surrounding areas to commemorate the 100 year Anzac Day anniversary was a once in a lifetime experience for Marie Germon.
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Her husband’s great uncle died over there during the conflict and Mrs Germon also found out four of her great uncles lost their lives on enemy territory all those years ago.
Mrs Germon said she got the opportunity to see their names written on plaques.
“It was very emotional, especially when we saw Douglas’ uncles names.”
Mrs Germon and the rest of her tour party were in Villers-Bretonneux for the Anzac Day morning dawn service.
And what was already an emotional experience was about to overwhelm Mrs Germon.
Her name was picked at random to be the one to lay the wreath during the service.
“It was a shock when I found out that’s for sure,” she said.
“It was lovely but a sombre experience at the same time.”
Mrs Germon got to experience first hand the battlefields where much of the fighting took place.
“We also went to Paris, France and Belgium,” she said.
“The Lone Pine and Beach cemeteries were beautiful.
“It was a once in a lifetime experience, especially to get to lay the wreath on such an important anniversary.
“I plan to go back at some stage and have more time at the cemeteries.”