ANZAC Day 2015

ANZAC Day, the commemoration of the landing of Australian and New Zealand forces at Gallipoli on the 25th April 1915, is the most important national day in Australia. In addition to recognising the service and sacrifice of all Australians who have served in war or on peacekeeping operations ANZAC Day has become core to the identity of Australia itself, a day on which Australians reflect on the ANZAC spirit and its place in Australia today.

Today, on the 25 April 2015, we mark the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli on the 25th April, 1915.

Each year on ANZAC Day, millions of Australians gather in the early hours of the morning for the Dawn Service. Today, I attended the Dawn Service on Barrow Island. The service started with a bagpiper, followed by a Commemorative Address of an Ex-Serviceman and our current Emergency Management Coordinator explaining the meaning of ANZAC Day to our international workforce. He explained that ANZAC Day is not a celebration as the mission at Gallipoli failed, ANZAC Day is not a celebration of victory but it is a commemoration of the fallen and the wounded in WW1, WW2 and any other war and peace keeping missions. A Lead Prayer followed, wreaths were laid and the Australian and New Zealand were raised.

Then The Ode was recited and a Bugle Player played 'The Last Post'.

The poem In Flanders Field was recited following by the Australian National Anthem. Standing in a crowd of 8000 people and singing the Australian Anthem gave me a feeling of proudness and a felling of togetherness. Something I have never felt when I lived in Germany.

Afterwards the New Zealand National Anthem was performed, followed by the 'Haka'. This I had never experience before. The video shows the 'Haka' performance on Barrow Island on Anzac Day 2013.

After the service we all got into the buses and started our work day. This Dawn Service was a memorable one and I'm proud to be a member of such an amazing community!