There was a rare sight in the Wollongong CBD on Saturday afternoon with a commemorative ceremony and parade as the 4th / 3rd Battalion exercised their Freedom of Entry to the City.
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NSW Governor General David Hurley, originally from Warrawong, attended the ceremony and inspected the troops with Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery.
Wreaths were laid at the Cenotaph in MacCabe Park before the battalion marched up through Globe Lane and down Crown Street Mall.
The ceremony commemorated the centenary of the end of World War I in November 1918. The 4th / 3rd Battalion was granted Freedom of Entry in March 2001 and the ceremony and parade recognised the vital role it has played in the Australian defence forces.
Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel David Charlton said to celebrate the links to the City of Wollongong during the centenary of the WW1 armistice was a wonderful privilege and experience.
The ‘Freedom of Entry to the City’ is an honour that dates back to medieval times and was granted to military units that earned a city’s trust.
Citizens of these cities had the power to refuse entry to armed groups unless the citizens were confident of their own safety.
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