ANZAC Day

"...They shall not grow 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 shall remember them."

ANZAC Day is commemorated by New Zealanders and Australians on 25 April each year. ANZAC refers to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who joined the Allied Forces in World War 1 and on 25 April 1915 made a dawn landing at Gallipoli in Turkey. Over the next 8 months, more than 10,000 ANZACs lost their lives in the battle that followed. Over 18,000 New Zealanders died in WW1 and over 42,000 were injured- these are staggering figures if one is reminded that the total population of NZ was just over 1 million at that time and 103,000 of them joined the Allies and supported Britain.

We decided to drive to the Mount for the dawn service, a drive of about 15km, and left home at 05.15am. We were surprised by the volume of traffic at this time of day given that it was a public holiday and we realised that they were all going to the service. At the Mount a parking space was difficult to find and people of all ages, from babies in their buggies to war veterans made their way to the dunes by the cenitaph. We estimated at least 2,000 people were there and despite the number of people all we could hear was the surf rolling in as we waited for the service to begin.

At exactly 06.00 the sound of bagpipes accompanied the veterans' march to the cenitaph. The service unfolded against a backdrop of yet another spectacular sunrise over the Pacific Ocean and as day broke and The Last Post was played, 2 war planes (Sixty-Two B17 bombers we think) emerged over the sea and flew overhead. It was a moving occasion, reminiscent of the many silences we have observed in the UK on Remembrance Day and similar occasions, and a reminder that freedom is precious. It is that freedom which has allowed us to travel the world and to come to NZ to live and work. We hope you enjoy the video.

More to follow soon......................................................................