Australia's most important day

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It's April 25th the most important day of the year for all Australians. It's ANZAC Day of course. All the old soldiers from any campaign march in their hundreds of thousands through all the main cities and many towns around the country. 25,000 would have attended dawn service at the Australian War Memorial here in Canberra the nations capital, and of course hundreds of thousands at other dawn services around the country. The soldiers and their kin march with their comrades from their individual units with their banners and medals of course. Special this year is the live on TV service from Kokoda Track in PNG a very special place to all Aussies. Even though numbers of 'Diggers' are dropping, ANZAC Day get's bigger every year. It's even legal to play 'two Up' and have a beer in places you normally couldn't. Yes it's a very special day for all Australian's. Cheers..s
 
27,000 at the dawn service this year so it's still growing. A public holiday of course. ANZAC ceremonies in most countries around the world including the U.S with ceremonies in Washington, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Hawaii. I'll be heading off to the RSL (Returned Services League) which most towns have. 1500 RSL's around the country. Sort of a drinking club for ex serviceman and friends. The best part is at a set time every day all the lights dim, a cross or emblem on a wall is iluminated and all activity human or electric (Poker Machines) ceases and The Ode is started.

LIGHTS switched off and Cross or Emblem illuminated.
Short Silence.
Recitation of Binyon's Lines:
"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."
(By President - Repeated by all present).
"LEST WE FORGET"
(By President - Repeated by all present).
Cross Or Emblem Switched off and lights on.
 
G'Day & Salute, to all those who have served Down Under!
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http://www.dva.gov.au/commem/anzac/

Scroll down and there are photo's from 2003, 2004, 2005. It can't really portray what ANZAC Day is to us but you'll see the crowds at the AWM which is about 10 mins from my house. That thousands of very young people are up before 4am to be at the AWM by 5:30am speaks volumes. I'm taking Natasha next year who will be eight. She goes to the AWM with me almost monthly to see the famous Lancaster Bomber 'G' for GEORGE in the Striking by Night display. She knows my father piloted 'Lancs' during the war.
 
Yep, ANZAC day is a very special day for Australians, and the younger generations are embracing the tradition more strongly than ever.
BTW this was the first ANZAC day without a living WW I veteran.

Lest we forget.
 
And for New Zealand too of course,ANZAC stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.We sent 10% of our entire population to WWI,so almost anyone who can trace their family in NZ back 100 yrs will have their family name on the wall of the War Memorial Museum,mine is.
The Dawn Service in Auckland had some extra drama as a war veteran died from a heart attack during the service.
Lest We Forget.
 
They had a sociologist on the radio yesterday who was explaining that ANZAC day means more to Australians than Australia day.

Australia day really means "Sydney Day", and involves a bunch of rich pricks sailing on the harbour.

ANZAC day celebrates Australians (OK, and Kiwis and turks), in a manner which is available in every country town.
 
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