I am pleased to announce that the government will recommend to Her Majesty The Queen that a special commemorative medal be struck for all surviving Australian World War I veterans who will commemorate today the 80th anniversary of the armistice that ended the Great War.
The commemorative medal, to be known as the 80th Anniversary Armistice Remembrance Medal, will be presented in time to be worn at Anzac Day 1999.
These 66 surviving veterans are a living reminder to all Australians three generations on of a conflict which gave birth to the Anzac tradition and marked Australia's nationhood on the world stage.
I have written to each veteran conveying the nation's pride in their achievements.
They now represent the many young Australians who volunteered to leave their homeland to serve at Gallipoli, in the Middle East and on the western front.
The deeds of that generation of young Australians, more than 60,000 of whom lost their lives, have become a legend and continue to inspire us all.
On behalf of the nation, I thank them and express our pleasure in honouring them with this symbol of our recognition.
Lest we forget.
11 November 1998