In memoriam, in commemoration: Anzac Day 2020

Who would have thought, when we welcomed in 2020, that March would see the world as we know it, in the grip of a pandemic? It has affected all of us and a lot of things we have taken for granted are now cancelled, closed or declared out of bounds.

For Australia and New Zealand, our most important day of the year is one of those. Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

On the 25th April 1915, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula—Turkey. These became known as Anzacs and the pride they took in that name continues to this day.

When war was declared in August 1914, Australia had a population of 4.9 million. New Zealand 1.1 million. We were a bit isolated down here in the Antipodes but that didn’t stop approximately 531,500 men and women (nurses) from putting up their hands to travel 10,000 miles to a war on the other side of the world. My grandfather was one of them, going first to Egypt for training and then on to the Western Front. The young man from the Aussie bush, who had never killed anything bigger than a snake or rabbit would never be the same again. However, he and his mates are not forgotten.

The first Anzac Day service was commemorated on 25th April,1916 in both Australia and England, where 2,000 Anzac troops marched through the streets of London. A memorial service was held at Westminster Abbey, attended by King George V and Queen Mary. Since then, on every 25th April except 1919 when the Spanish flu was rampant, services are held in every city and town in Australia and New Zealand, the Casey research station Antarctica, the very moving dawn service at Gallipoli in harmony with the Turkish people, Belgium and France and the UK. While checking my facts before writing this tribute I was surprised how many other countries acknowledge this day.

This year, Anzac Day services are cancelled due to the Corona virus. Instead, Australians and New Zealanders are asked to light candles and stand in our driveways or front doors at 6am for a dawn service with a difference.

And we did, in every town and city on both sides of the Tasman Sea.

Finally – the Ode of Remembrance
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.