Vic: Solemn service for soldier killed in Iraq

AAP General News (Australia)
04-24-2006
Vic: Solemn service for soldier killed in Iraq

MELBOURNE, April 24 AAP - A solemn Anzac Day ceremony will be held in the small township
of Briagolong, in Victoria's east, to honour Private Jacob Kovco who died in Iraq.

The 25-year-old soldier died in Baghdad after accidentally shooting himself in the
head while cleaning a service pistol last Friday.

The father of two, who was born in Melbourne, grew up in Briagolong before moving with
his family to NSW, near Sydney's Holsworthy Barracks.

He is survived by his wife Shelley, son Tyrie, 4, and daughter Alana, almost 1.

At tomorrow's service, Private Kovco's name will be read out before The Last Post is played.

The township with a population of 500 has a sad military past with the local cenotaph
bearing the names of four sons from the one family killed in World War I.

The dawn service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne tomorrow will begin at 6am (AEST).

It marks the landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Anzac Cove just before
dawn on April 25, 1915.

The service will be followed by the Anzac Day march which starts at 9am (AEST) and
proceeds along Swanston Street in the city and onto St Kilda Road before finishing at
the Shrine.

Retired Navy Lieutenant Ian Wailes will lead the march.

Descendants of a woman who propagated the first seedlings from a pine cone brought
back from Gallipoli were on hand today to see a new tree planted at Melbourne's Shrine
of Remembrance.

The tree was planted at 11.30am (AEST) by Victorian Governor David de Kretser during
a service attended by up to 3,000 primary school children ahead of Anzac Day tomorrow.

Legacy decided to plant the new tree after it was discovered the original one planted
at the Shrine was dying.

The new tree was grown from a seed collected from the dying pine tree.

Jean Giblett, the granddaughter of Emma Gray, the woman who propagated the first seeds
from a pine cone brought back from Gallipoli, was on hand to witness the planting.

"Now that the tree here is dying it's become really important and we are so proud to
be here today," Mrs Giblett said.

"It's really special and I know my father would have been delighted that we are here."

AAP sam/dk/it/jlw

KEYWORD: ANZAC VIC NIGHTLEAD

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