Harcourts director and former commando to lead Portarlington Remembrance Day service

Harcourts Trends director Travis Smith will MC the Portarlington and St Leonards RSL Sub-Branch memorial service this Remembrance Day, bringing his local community together to honour those who have served.

Smith, who is also President of the sub-branch, served as an Australian Army reservist with the 1st Commando Regiment, 2 Company, from 1994 to 2004, including overseas deployments.

At 11am on 11 November, Australians will pause for a minute's silence to remember those who served and sacrificed in conflicts and wars, and those who continue to serve.

Mateship beyond service

For Smith, the bonds formed in service are among its most lasting legacies. "You spend 24 hours a day with these guys during duty," he said.

He believes those connections should not end when service does. "It's now about reconnecting with all veterans, some of them which are a bit lost," he said.

He also points out that every generation of service personnel carries different experiences. "What people went through in World War 1 was different to World War 2, to Vietnam to the modern era."

A time to talk

Smith sees the day as a chance for veterans to speak openly about what they have been through. "It's a time to open up and talk," he said.

Harcourts will pause on the day to honour all those who have served, those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and the families and communities whose lives have been shaped by service. Lest we forget.

More on the history and significance of Remembrance Day is available from the Australian War Memorial.