Anzac Day, a public holiday in Australia and New Zealand, commemorates the landing at Gallipoli in 1915 of the two countries’ fighting men, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, during World War I.
This was the war that was impossible to win and marked the end of Australia’s age of innocence as Australians and New Zealanders alike witnessed and heard reports of the distant booming guns and the cries of the dying.
All in all, in the Gallipoli Campaign which ultimately ended in defeat, more than 8700 Australians and between 2400 and 2721 New Zealanders were killed. In relation to the two countries’ population at the time, this was a massive loss of lives — a sacrifice remembered deeply on Anzac Day.
The first official dawn service was held at the Sydney Cenotaph in 1927. Dawn services were originally very simple and followed the operational ritual; in many cases they were restricted to veterans only. The daytime ceremony was for families and other well-wishers and the dawn service was for returned soldiers to remember and reflect among the comrades with whom they shared a special bond.
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.…
