RSL COMMEMORATION CEREMONIES - RECOMMENDED PROCEDURE

Wherever possible, RSL commemoration ceremonies should follow a standard order of service as detailed below. At the appropriate time of the commemoration the sequence of events for RSL ceremonies shall be as follows:

• The Ode shall be spoken by the designated person.

  'They shall grow not old, (short pause)
  As we that are left grow old, (longer pause)
  Age shall not weary them, (short pause)
  Nor the years condemn, (longer pause)
  At the going down of the sun, (short pause)
  And in the morning, (longer pause)
  We will remember them. (short pause)'
  The gathering repeats 'We will remember them.'

• The Last Post shall be played.
• A period of not more than two minutes' silence shall then be observed.
• The designated person shall say 'Lest We Forget' and the gathering will repeat 'Lest We Forget'.
• Rouse or Reveille shall then be played. (Rouse is the bugle call more commonly used in conjunction with the 'Last Post' and to the layman is often incorrectly called 'Reveille'. Although associated with the 'Last Post', 'Reveille' is rarely used because of its length).
• The ceremony is ended. The words 'thank you' shall NOT be spoken to end the ceremony.

While it is expected that the form of service detailed above shall be used at the routine RSL commemoration ceremonies, variations may occur from time to time. However, where the RSL is the organising or coordinating authority of a commemoration ceremony every attempt should be made to have the ceremony follow the sequence detailed above.