ANZAC Day - 25 April
ANZAC
Day is THE Australian national day, and similar to our Remembrance
Day, but with much more emphasis on the national pride thing. We
knew that there was a service at the cenotaph at 04.30 to commemorate
the ANZAC landings in Gallipoli in WW1.
The
march past started at 09.00, so we were out at about 08.00 to find a suitable
viewing spot. The roads were closed from 01.00 and by the time we got out
the city was humming. We found a spot and got chatting to some locals.
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Lots
of flags (handed out free by these guys on mopeds) and by the time the
procession started at 09.00 the atmosphere was great. Instead of
poppies the symbol of rememberance is a sprig of rosemary which grew
in abundance on the hills of Gallipoli.
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The parade is headed by taxis
who volunteer to pick up the veterans who cannot make their own way to
the parade.
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We lost count of how many bands
were present.
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The
march past we learned later had 22,000 people in it, and took nearly
four hours to pass!
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Pooper scooping!
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The Mayoress of Sydney
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Up until about five years ago a
veteran of WW1 rode a horse in the parade. When he died they
have continued his memory by leading a horse with his boots reversed.
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This contained the last WW1
'digger' who can attend the commemoration. He's 105 and there
are only 5 others alive in Australia. Unfortunately we
couldn't get a photo of him because he was surrounded by film crews!
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Veterans of all services and
regiments and all ages were honoured. They marched proud, and even if
there were non-present, the banner of the unit was carried by curent
service people or scouts.
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This chap kept marching the
route, and then coming back to start again!
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Widows, children and grandchildren
honoured their relatives by wearing their medals and carrying photos
or hats.
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There were people in
wheelchairs, crutches and in some cases only completed the march past
with significant pain and courage.
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...he's here again!
(he was a real character, who stopped for a chat on numerous
occasions)
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Young and old....
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significant 'cos Laurie' s dad
flew Sunderlands
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The whole event was fabulously
organised on a very low-key, considering the significant fear in the
country of the opportunity being taken for a terrorist attack on a
national icon. What a sad thought given the sacrifices for
freedom that was being remembered.
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The march past brought home to
us that Australia made a significant sacrifice in the Vietnam war in
the late 60's and 70's. A lot of the veterans marching and the
fallen friends commemorated were the same age as Laurie.
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A Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel
(well that's what it said in the newspaper!)
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At the Cenotaph at Martin's
Place where wreaths were laid.
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Massed Scots pipe bands gathered at the Cenotaph after the march past had
finished.
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Later in the evening when the
crowds had gone, we came back to the Cenotaph to read some of the
messages.
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a very moving note on one of the wreaths
(click on the image for an enlarged version)...caution it is heartbreaking!
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