On April 20, 2022, the official launch of the 2023 Legacy Centenary Commemoration took place at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, the city in which Legacy was founded nearly 100 years ago by Stan Savige.
The Legacy Centenary Torch Relay 2023 now underway is a six-month campaign to pay homage to and acknowledge veterans’ families, saluting their sacrifice.
The torch will ultimately travel over 50,000 kilometres through 100 locations, carried by approximately 1500 torch bearers.
The relay began on Anzac Day, April 25, 2023, in Pozieres, France and travelled to London, where it continued its tour throughout Australia.
In recent weeks, the Legacy flame has visited Coffs Harbour, Armidale and Tamworth in country NSW as part of the Legacy Centenary Torch Relay.
Narrabri nowadays comes under the regional umbrella of Tamworth Legacy. The torch made its way Tamworth where, on July 5, Narrabri’s representative, Vietnam War veteran Phillip Smith carried the torch on part of its local nine-kilometre journey.
Centenary Torch Relay bearers were nominated for the role from across the region and Mr Smith was selected from this community.
He was accompanied on his leg of the relay by ‘companion walker’ Helen Smith.
On the afternoon prior to the relay in Tamworth, a pool of reflection ceremony was held where 1000 crosses laden with poppies were displayed to commemorate the sacrifice of veterans.
Mr Smith is a Vietnam War veteran, serving between 1968 and 1969 as a member of the 104th battery, 12th Field Regiment. His term in Vietnam saw some of the most intense fighting of the war. Mr Smith served with his unit at 16 different fire support bases.
The torch bearers did not let the weather dampen their spirits on relay day as they carried the torch from Hyman Park through St Edward’s War Memorial Bell Tower, the WWII Memorial, and the Light Horse Memorial before concluding at the Tamworth Memorial Town Hall.
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