Anzac Day

Anzac is an acronym representing Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.  Anzac Day is the Australian version of Memorial Day, observed on the anniversary of the invasion of Gallipoli during World War I.

There are no special sales to mark the event, in fact many stores don't even open until 1 PM. Instead it is a true memorial day, with dawn celebrations in all major cities, that include a parade of all branches of the armed forces laying wreaths at war memorials all over the country.  People lay red poppies at various memorial sites and wear rosemary for remembrance.  In Melbourne, the trams started running between 3:30 and 4 AM and ran every five minutes until 5:30 AM to get people to the dawn service.  News is reporting that over 120,000 people attended in Canberra, and over 50,000 in Melbourne despite a soaking rain. 

This year was an especially poignant Anzac Day because it marks the 100-year anniversary of the battle of Gallipoli in WWI, where about 10,000 Anzacs were killed.  One of my students won an RSL (veteran's association) trip back to Gallipoli to tour Anzac Cove and stay for the dawn service there.  He's been gone for a week already, and will return on Tuesday.  Thousands of other Australians and New Zealanders traveled to Gallipoli this year as well to mark the centenary, and news coverage shows they were up all night on the beach awaiting the dawn service there.   All over the country there were 'Camp Gallipolis', places where the community could come together and sleep out as the diggers (Anzac soldiers) did, no tents allowed, just swags (small protections draped over a pole).   About 40 boys from my school attended Camp Gallipoli in Melbourne together. 



I knew nothing about the battle of Gallipoli prior to meeting Joel, then one night while we were dating we watched the movie "Gallipoli," and it shook me deeply.  I would recommend watching the movie if you haven't yet seen it - it's really well done, has a young, beautiful, not-yet-crazy Mel Gibson in it,  and you'll learn a lot.  But have tissues ready.

A photo of part of where the Anzacs landed in Gallipoli.  I liked this photo because you can see how challenging the terrain was for the invasion, and why the losses were so big on the Anzac side.

I'm touched by the observance of Anzac Day, and pleased that they actually acknowledge the sacrifice of the armed forces in a more global manner than we do in the US.  In the US you can avoid pretty much all ceremonies on Memorial Day; in Australia, you cannot avoid it.  The news coverage is universal and long, with interviews with current armed forces, veterans, great-grandchildren of Gallipoli veterans.   The coverage is sad and respectful.

I'm watching the dawn service in Perth (which is a few hours behind Melbourne) right now on television, and it's very moving.  Perth's memorial also has an eternal flame, the sky is turning orange and the shrine is illuminated.  Flags of Australia and New Zealand flank the memorial, flying at half-staff.  A bagpipe (the saddest-sounding instrument ever) is playing as representative after representative in dress uniform or suits (for the veterans) still wearing campaign medals go to lay wreaths at the foot of the memorial.

Below are some photos I took at the Shrine of Remembrance, the war memorial in Melbourne.  I took these on Australia Day back in January, but this seems to be an appropriate place to put them.

Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne

World War II memorial in the forecourt of the Shrine.  The cenotaph depicts two men each from the Army, Navy and Air Force, carrying a fallen comrade on a bier.  The eternal flame was lit by Queen Elizabeth II in 1954, and it has burned ever since.

Side posts of the main stairway leading into the Shrine, commemorating actions in which the Anzacs fought.

Not everyone in the U.S. realize that Anzacs have fought in every war that Americans have.  Here you can see memorials for those who served in Korea and Vietnam. More recently, Anzacs have also fought in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Inside the Shrine there is a skylight.  At exactly 11:11 AM on Remembrance Day (Veteran's Day), the sun shines through the skylight and illuminates the plaque below.  They also have a light fixture installed that can create the same effect at other times during the year, or if it's cloudy on Remembrance Day, and project the beam of light regularly every day for visitors.

There are alcoves throughout the Shrine that hold flags of Australia, New Zealand, and the various armed force branches.  Below the flags are books in which the names of those who served are listed. This is the New Zealand flag.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip signed the book on the left; King George VI signed the book on the right (obviously before Elizabeth's visit in 1954).

The crypt is below the main sanctuary, and contains flags of various campaigns.

People lay red poppies at the feet of these statues remembering soldiers from WWI and WWII.  The sculpture is entitled "Father and Son".

A view of Melbourne from the top of the Shrine, looking north.  The WWII memorial and flame is on the left.

Each medal represents 100 Victorians who have served in the Anzac forces, and six who have died while serving. There are 400 medals; they come from various campaigns fought over the years.

My school had a liturgy to commemorate Anzac Day on the Friday before, and all teachers were invited to have a drink at the local RSL (like a VFW) with the school supporting the RSL by buying the first round (hey, it's Australia).

Ruth and Isaac discussed Anzac Day at school, although the commemoration had to share the spotlight with Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha'Atzmaut, so the observances didn't encompass the entire week like they did at my school.  Both schools sold Anzac memorial bracelets, as did many businesses around Melbourne, with money going to veterans' services.  Ruth wanted to go to the dawn service in Melbourne, but my girl does not take well to early wake-up calls, so we convinced her that watching it on TV would be better.  As it was, she slept through the whole event, but I hope to go to the ceremony at some point when the kids are a little older and better able to tolerate the required 4:30 AM wake-up time.