ANZAC Day

Our ANZAC book

In Australia there are only two days of the years where the shops close.  The first being Good Friday and the second being ANZAC day.  Today is ANZAC (Australian New Zealand Army Corps) day.  It just happens this year these two important days are one week apart.  I remember as a child learning about ANZAC day.  It was a time when veterans from world war 1 were getting older, when Vietnam veterans returned without fanfare.  Though the ANZAC story was taught at school there wasn't the same respect for it as there is now.  ANZAC day marks the anniversary of the first campaign that led to major casualties for Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War at Gallipoli on April 25th 1915.   In 1917, the word ANZAC meant someone who fought at Gallipoli and later it came to mean any Australian or New Zealander who fought or served in the First World War. During the Second World War, ANZAC Day became a day on which the lives of all Australians lost in war time were remembered. The spirit of ANZAC recognises the qualities of courage, mateship and sacrifice which were demonstrated at the Gallipoli landing.
Each year every Australian capital and many local towns hold their own ANZAC service, many of them being dawn services. Next year the 100th anniversary will be held and preparations are already being made.
It wasn't so long ago Merv and I would wake at 3:30am each ANZAC day and drive to Kings Park Dawn Service to remember the men and women who fought for our freedom.  Today there was 40,000 people attending.  As the sun rises you can hear a pin drop before the bugle is played and the ceremony of remembrance begins.  Merv and I would have breakfast at the Dome and take our chairs to St Georges Terrace where we would watch our returned servicemen and women partake in the annual parade.  Merv's Grandfather, Joseph Bell was a soldier in the 11th Battalion at Gallipoli.  He wasn't there in April 1915, he arrived later in the year.  Merv has his war medals, photos and numerous books of war service.  Joseph's two brothers also served alongside him.  Today we watched the Dawn service and the parade on TV.  We looked at the ANZAC book which we bought several years ago from the Perth Museum.  It depicts the lives of the ANZACs during the time of fighting and the winter ahead of them.  Thank goodness they fought for our freedom.  We are forever grateful.