Anzac Day 2017

Hey hoomans of the internet,

So today is a very special day for us as Australians and new zealanders, Today is Anzac day.

What is Anzac day?

For those members of our community who arent Australian or who arent familiar with this holiday ill briefly explain what its about . Anzac day is a holiday for Australians and New Zealanders to commemorate and celebrate the lives of those who fell in the service of their country, be it in the First World war, The second world war, Vietnam or Korea, or even the modern wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. WE dedicate this day to all those who fell and gave the ultimate sacrifice for thier country, and to also commemorate all thsoe currently serving in our Armed forces.

On this day we hold dawn services around the country and overseas in places like Anzac cove in Turkey and Villers-Bretonneux service in France. Millions of Australians and New Zealanders wake up early to celebrate this most special of days. Anzac Day also signifies the birth of our two great nations in the fires of war that was the Gallipoli offensive which commenced on 25 April 1915, with thousands of Anzac troops storming the gallipoli peninsula.

What does is mean to be Anzac?

Anzac, meaning the Australian and New Zealand Army corps, was a proud force consisiting of those two countries originally fighting as part of the British commonwealth during the First World War. Ever since, each generation of soldier from either Australia or New Zealand has been called the new generation of Anzacs. To be an Anzac is to encourage and have the special qualities that all Anzacs have otherwise known as the Anzac Spirit. This legend and spirit consists of the following qualities; courage, endurance, initiative, discipline, mateship and humour in the face of adversity and humour in even the darkest of times. Anzacs were rememebered to be a bright light in even the most grim of situations, and their bond and mateship was said to be unbreakable.

The legend of the Anzacs and the spirit of all australians is also celebrated on this day and resides within all Australians. Perhaps the best (and most widely misquoted) reflection of the meaning of Anzac is to be found in Charles Beans one-volume history of Australia in the Great War, Anzac to Amiens. In describing the evacuation of the Anzac area, Bean wrote:

"By dawn on December 20th Anzac had faded into a dim blue line lost amid other hills on the horizon as the ships took their human freight to Imbros, Lemnos and Egypt. But Anzac stood, and still stands, for reckless valour in a good cause, for enterprise, resourcefulness, fidelity, comradeship, and endurance that will never own defeat."

This Anzac day is also a special one, falling on the 100 year centenary of WW1 and in particular for us Australians, Battle of Passchendaele, otherwise known as the Third Battle of Ypres. And it also lies on the 100 years since the Battle of Messines and Battle of Bullecourt which Anzacs fought bravely and victoriously.

I will now repeat the Ode to you in rememberence of the fallen:

"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."

Lest We Forget

I would also now like to ask any of you, have any of your relatives served in our Armed Forces, lets us know :)