The order of service is the program of events for a commemorative ceremony or service. You can use this order of service on Anzac Day, Remembrance Day and other important days. We do this to recognise and remember the service and sacrifice of Australia’s veterans and serving personnel.
Event plan
If you plan to host a local ceremony to honour the service of veterans, such as Anzac Day or Remembrance Day, you could follow our suggested order of service.
What you need to do
The program for an event should be tailored to your audience and your local community.
- Think about who might attend.
- Plan to include everyone.
- Choose appropriate music (hymns, traditional pieces or contemporary songs).
- Choose suitable poems or short stories.
- Choose a good speaker for the commemorative address.
- Prepare a speech.
Try to involve veterans or current-serving members from your local community. This will help to engage the audience, young and old.
Anzac Day service
Our suggested order of service will suit many commemorative events. Adapt this program to suit your needs. The service might take between 30 and 60 minutes from start to finish. We've given approximate times next to each part of the ceremony to help with planning.
Lower all flags to half-mast before the starting.
Welcome speech with an acknowledgment of the Traditional Owners (2 to 5 minutes)
Mounting of catafalque party if applicable (2 minutes)
Hymns or other music, optional (2 to 4 minutes)
Prayers, poems or readings, optional (2 to 5 minutes)
Commemorative address by invited guest (3 to 5 minutes)
Wreath laying (3 to 5 minutes)
Ode of Remembrance (1 minute)
The Last Post (1 minute 22 seconds)
Period of silence (1 or 2 minutes)
Reveille or The Rouse while raising flags (1 minute)
National anthem (1 to 3 minutes)
Dismounting of catafalque party if applicable (2 minutes)
Closing remarks (2 minutes)
Official guests depart.
You can print this and a shortened order of service as part of our Anzac Day Kitbag.
The flags, the Ode of Remembrance, The Last Post and the catafalque party are important symbols of commemoration.
Remembrance Day service
Lower all flags to half-mast before starting.
Welcome speech with an acknowledgement of the Traditional Owners (2 minutes)
Mounting of catafalque party if applicable (2 minutes)
Hymns or other music, optional (2 to 4 minutes)
Prayers, poems or readings, optional (2 to 5 minutes)
Commemorative address by invited guest (3 to 5 minutes)
Wreath laying (3 to 5 minutes)
Ode of Remembrance (1 minute)
The Last Post (1 minute 22 seconds)
Period of silence from 11 am (1 or 2 minutes)
The Rouse while raising flags (1 minute)
National anthem (1 to 3 minutes)
Dismounting of catafalque party if applicable (2 minutes)
Closing remarks (2 minutes)
Official guests depart
You can print this and a shortened order of service as part of our Remembrance Day Kitbag.
Acknowledging Traditional Owners
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Country where we meet on Anzac Day to remind everyone that we live on First Nations lands.
A Traditional Owner in your area can deliver a Welcome to Country. It could also be delivered by First Nations people who have permission from Traditional Owners to welcome visitors to their Country.
Anyone can offer an Acknowledgement of Country at the beginning of an event or speech. This shows respect for Traditional Owners and the continuing connection of First Nations people to Country. See suggested wording in our sample speeches.
Protocol for flags
In order of priority, you may fly the following flags:
- Australian National Flag
- flags of other nations
- state or territory flag
- Australian Aboriginal Flag and Torres Strait Islander Flag
- Australian Defence Force Ensign
- Australian White Ensign
- Royal Australian Air Force Ensign
- Merchant Marine.
During a ceremony held in Australia, the Australian National Flag is raised or lowered at the same time as other flags. If this is not possible, then the Australian flag is raised first and lowered last.
If you’re planning an Anzac Day dawn service, the flags are:
- lowered to half-mast before the start of the service
- raised slowly to the masthead during the playing of Reveille
- lowered again to half-mast at the end of the service
- raised again to the masthead at 12 midday.
If you’re planning an event at another time of day, the flags are:
- lowered to half-mast before the start of the service
- raised slowly to the masthead during the playing of The Rouse.
- raised again to the masthead at 12 midday.
Ode of Remembrance
When the Ode is recited at a commemorative service, visitors should stand, remove headwear and refrain from talking. For details, see Ode of Remembrance and other poems.
Period of silence
Traditionally, a period of 2 minutes is observed for an Anzac Day dawn service and 1 minute at other times on Anzac Day and Remembrance Day. However, the time can be adjusted to suit your audience.
Music
Reveille or The Rouse
Reveille is played only for an Anzac Day dawn service. The Rouse is played at other times on Anzac Day and also on Remembrance Day.
Anthems
When the Australian National Anthem is played in conjunction with the national anthem of a foreign country, the foreign country’s national anthem is always played first.
For details, see Music for commemorative events.
Saluting
Personnel in military uniform and headdress stand to attention and salute:
- during the lowering and raising of flags
- just after laying a wreath
- during The Last Post
- during the Australian National Anthem.
Wearing medals
On commemorative days, you need to know how to wear your medals or your ancestor's medals. Follow advice from the Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL) about wearing medals, rosemary and red poppies.
Wreath laying
After laying a wreath, the person stands to attention and bows their head (or salutes if wearing a military uniform).
Kitbags for your events
To help you commemorate, we provide 2 packs of printable resources.
Glossary
- Catafalque