Bryce Titcume's medalled chest must have been bursting with pride as son Andy -- or Major Andrew Titcume RaInf -- reviewed Tenterfield's 2019 ANZAC Day march and was then guest speaker at the commemoration service outside Memorial Hall.
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(The family had an early start that day, also traveling to participate in Liston's dawn service.)
Major Titcume graduated from the Royal Military College in Duntroon in 2006 and was appointed to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. He has since gone on to hold a variety of command and training positions, most notably as a Platoon Commander in the 1st Battalion and as a Company Commander in the 2nd Battalion.
Major Titcume has deployed operationally as a Rifle Platoon Commander to East Timor in 2007 and to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2012, embedded with the US 82nd Airborne Division. He is currently the Operations Officer of the Australian Amphibious Task Group
He is an Arabic linguist, and holds a Masters Degree in Business from the University of NSW.
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In his commemoration service presentation Major Titcume stressed that the gathering on Memorial Hall forecourt was not to celebrate or glorify war but rather to remember those who have served.
"We remember too, those who served on the home front, supplying material and moral strength to our fighting forces for theirs was no lesser service to Australia."
"On ANZAC day, we salute not only the spirit of the ANZACs but, in paying tribute to them, we take the opportunity to dedicate ourselves to striving for our country as they did and upholding their finest qualities of courage, commitment, endurance and mateship.
"We reaffirm the Australian spirit which is shown daily not just within our Defence Force, but by those of our emergency services who keep us safe domestically, our farmers who endure the hardships of drought and natural disaster to keep the country sustained, and indeed all Australians who contribute to this great nation."
He said that every nation remembers some past event, some battle, or some defining moment of history. Our defining moment came in 1915 at Gallipoli, a campaign, which if not an outright defeat, was certainly not a success.
"History shows that, for a peace loving people, we have been a formidable adversary when stirred to action and also remarkably successful at the profession of war. On every occasion when Australians have been called upon to protect freedom, they have done so with professionalism, skill and tenacity, and continue to forge an international reputation as some of the best warriors in the world."
Gallipoli, of course, was not the only campaign of the Great War, which left a tragic legacy of an average of one person for every 17 in the country's population either dead or injured as a result of war.
"No city, town or village was left untouched, and the 46 names on the Tenterfield and Districts Roll of Honour bear witness to this," Major Titcume said.
"I pause to reflect what might have been had we not lost such a significant number of our finest young men. The potential leaders of industry, trade and commerce that were lost; and the economic development that was stymied."
While those at the service were moved by his speech, Major Titcume said he also enjoyed his time in Tenterfield for the occasion.
"It was an honour to speak at the service, and the gratitude and hospitality I received from the residents was heartwarming.
"I had a great time speaking with locals and visitors after the parade and at the Tavern."
