Quote from: Ode of RemembranceThey 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.
OK, so if you aren't from Australian or New Zealand you might not know what I'm talking about, but today (April 25) is ANZAC day here.
Today marks the day when, during World War 1, Australian and New Zealand troops first landed on the Beach at Gallipoli in Turkey in 1915, with orders from the English to capture Constantinople and take Turkey out of the war. This didn't happen - the troops barely got off the beach and the campaign quickly turned into a stalemate, with over 8000 Australian soldiers killed on the beach or in the trenches during the 8 months before the remaining troops were evacuated.
ANZAC day means a lot of things. A day to pay respect to those who lost their lives in conflict, a day to reflect on our national identity and what it means to be Australian, a day to reflect on the nature of war and what it does to humanity. For me it is a day to remember my grandparents - they both served in the Australian army durig World War 2, my grandfather as an engineer and my grandmother in the Australian Womens Army. They met when they were both posted in Darwin, and they were both there when the city was bombed by Japan. My grandfather passed away when I was very young, and my grandmother passed away last year. I see this day as a day to commemorate them, and their sacrifices; them and all others who made the same sacrifice or a much greater one. A day to remember who they were, and what they meant to me.
Today is one of the few days when I can honestly say that I am proud to be Australian. Today, it feels like all differences are put aside, and people come together to both mourn their losses and celebrate the spirit of our nation. And, inevitably, drink a little too much beer and go to work the next day a little too hung over. This is Australia, after all
.
I know there aren't many Australians or New Zealanders that post here, but I know there are a few and I would be interested to hear what this day means to you. And if you aren't and would like to know more, maybe
here would be a place to start.
Megan
