At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them: ANZAC DAY – 25 April 2018

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the combined military forces from the two countries who heard Britain's call to war in 1914. In that year when Britain declared war on Germany, Australia and New Zealand were automatically placed on the side of the Commonwealth. At the time Australia had only been a federated nation for a brief 13 years and, through the crucible of war, were to gain a national identity that endures to this day. To that time Australia didn't have much of a national identity, not one separated from Britain anyway.

In 1915 the Australian and New Zealand forces set sail to take part in the failed attempt to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula. The objective was required to assist with the Allied naval push to capture Constantinople, (now Istanbul) the capital of the Ottoman Empire, and Germany's staunch ally.

On the 25th of April 1915 thousands of troops landed on the beaches of Gallipoli in this ill-fated campaign which was mismanaged by the British from the outset. They suffered thousands of casualties that first day on those beaches as they tried to gain a foothold against the Turkish defenders. Under withering machine gun fire and artillery shelling the men crawled their way forward leaving dead and wounded comrades in their wake, and a sea stained red with Australian blood. The campaign was finally abandoned in January 1916 and in all Australia lost over 8,000 men killed during the campaign and thousands more injured. I will be posting stories from the campaign later in the year so look out for them.

In 1916 the first commemoration of the landing at Gallipoli was conducted with ceremonies across Australia and a march of some 2,000 Australian and New Zealand troops through London. It was further established as a national day of commemoration after the war ended in 1918 and into the 1920's was cemented as the day the 60,000 Australian's who had died in World War One were commemorated.

The ANZAC legend was born of bravery, blood, lead, shrapnel and death and our World War One armed forces wore that legend like the finest fitting clothing. It suited the tough men from Australia, with their rough and ready nature, fierceness on the battlefield and their personal code of honour, courage, sacrifice and mateship. Since that fateful day in 1915 our armed forces have been known as ANZACS and to this day wear the mantle with that same fierce pride.

We celebrate the day as a national Public Holiday and dawn services, marches and events are held across Australia, in Gallipoli, the Western Front in France, Kokoda in Papua New Guinea and at almost every significant Australian battlefield around the world. It's also commemorated in New Zealand of course.

Each year I go to the dawn service with my wife; It's an early morning, a 5am wakeup, to get to the service by the start time of 6am but I wouldn't think to start my ANZAC day any other way. I have several friends who serve in the military currently and have done so in the past and we sometimes catch up on the day as well. My wife and I always attend the memorial service for the Lighthorse horses which is held around 8am and then we head to the ANZAC day march through the city. I wrote a post about the Lighthorse some time ago which I think is one of my best efforts so feel free to read it if you like. You'll find it here These war hero's carried our troopers into battle and not one of them came home. Not one. Please, read my blog on it.

ANZAC day isn't a day designed to glorify war, it's not a day to show allegiance to a flag or government, nor a day to push political agendas or for demonstration rallies. It's a day to commemorate the men and women who paid the ultimate price in service to their country; Those men and women who left our shores and never returned. It's also a time to thank those that returned; Some say it's those that came home to live with their experiences who suffered the most throughout their remaining lives. It's the least we can do for them I believe. They should be remembered; With honour, respect and fondly because they are the reason we are here. You don't need to study Australian war history as I do to show them your respect, you don't even need to know who they were. You just need to know that they were and that they thought enough of the people back home to give their lives for us. They deserve your respect and yet would never have asked for it.

The Lawrence Binyon poem below captures the emotion perfectly I believe. It has been adopted by all Commonwealth countries and is used as an 'ode' as such at services around the world.

For The Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables at home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Laurence Binyon (1869–1943)

These following words, taken from this poem, are always uttered with great respect and with solemn emotion at the dawn service:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

I think one of the saddest things about it these days is that the government have to organise anti-terrorism barriers, security and safety measures around the dawn service and various events to protect against the threat of acts of terrorism. Whilst we're commemorating those who died in past wars people are actively starting new ones; The dichotomy of human-ness.

[- Design and create your ideal life, don’t live it by default -]