ANZAC Day Commemoration

For our non Aussie and NZ blippers - ANZAC Day is our most revered national occassion and is commemorated on the 25th April each year and is a National Holiday. It initally was to remember the horror of Gallipoli and the bravery and sacrifice of members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp (ANZACs) who fought there during WW1. It also now more broadly remembers and those who died or served in other military operations for their countries.
Some more info here
Thousands of young Australian and New Zealanders each year flock to Gallipoli to pay their respects to these young men (all volunteers) who gave their all for our freedom. Amazingly, the numbers of these young ones are increasing hugely each year and this year two young members of my extended family are also currently in Gallopoli.
The day here always starts with a very moving Dawn Service, a March of Verterans and current serving members, allied groups, and, latterly their descendants who also are now encouraged to march. Then there is a commemoration at the Cenotaph, followed by a lunch and plenty of liquid refreshments for the veterans and their guests. It always includes the traditional Aussi gambling game of "Two-up", which was an extremely popular pastime of the original ANZAC soldiers. The importance of this tradition is demonstrated by the fact that we have laws here prohibiting gambling outside Licensed Premises, however on ANZAC day it is legal to play it anywhere.
It was hard to get a very good photo but this one is of our Flag at half mast for the Last Post.
I would have loved to get a photo of the surfies behind me, in their boardies and wet suits, who had just come up from the beach and were standing to attention with their boards upright. Also the young kids, members of the Surf Lifesaving Club, in their swimmers, yellow caps and barefeet laying a Wreath would have made a great shot - not a scene you would see at the more formal city ceremories - but a very Aussie one non the less.
Watch this if you get a minute - I love it. It's performed and written by Eric Bogle, a Scottish-born Australian singer-songwriter.
"And the band played Waltzing Matilda"
PS - If you do watch the above you will also see Canadian Soldiers in the video - this is apparently because it was also used at a Rememberance Day ceremony at a school in Canada, even though the song was written about ANZAC forces, so that bit is rather confusing!!

Lest We Forget.