My first ANZAC day memorial service

Ok so haven't blogged in a while so thought I would blog about my first Anzac day memorial I went to.

First of all I was not really enthused about going, getting up early is one thing I hate but I had to go to do a photography assignment I am doing for university (we have to take photos and select 5 to represent ANZAC day how we want to). So I got up at like 4:30am with not much sleep beforehand and went to Henderson park (Mildura) for the Dawn service. Immediatly I was shocked as to see how many people were there, young and old. The youngest in thier mothers arms still asleep the oldest in wheelchairs. As I have never been to one before I wasn't sure what to expect and as the crowd grew and the sun slowy rose I saw the 4 ARMY servicemen (and one women I think) stand around the shrine I knew this was going to be interesting. We said a prayer (which I didn't know was a big thing) to pay our respects to the fallen members of the ANZACS. I knew it from catholic upbringing but I think it was more the church of England version.

I chose not to take any photos till after the minute silence out of respect, and didn't even dream of taking any during it. After the service was complete people layed wreaths on the shrine, their were school groups doing this as well which I found extremly touching. The fact they got up early on a Sunday morning in their school uniforms to pay thier respects. It is this generation that is going to have to keep the tradition alive once we lose the WWII veterans.

After this service we went out to Red Cliffs for their service, it was smaller but had a much stronger affect on me. I met the oldest member of the Red Cliffs division who was very nice and allowed us to take photos of his medals (he had quite a few). Just the way these men and women and even thier relatives wore these with such pride and heads held high was good to see. They earned them and you knew they deserved them, I just wish I could have talked to a few of them and ask them about them. But I was rushing around taking photos of everything and anything. During the Red Cliffs service a woman from the nursing division spoke about the nurses on the warfront. This is something I have never thought about and her story was touching. She spoke of how the nurses helped lead the way for women in the armed forces and how they were the unsung heroes of the war(s) which I believe is true. She read a touching poem about how the nurses were the last people the soldiers died in the make shift hospitals. They were thier last friends and the last person to hear them speak. As she read it images in my head were of a soldier holding the hands of a nurse and just saying thank you before he died. I admit I nearly got a bit teary at this point. Her story was amazing to say the least, if I can get a copy of the poem I will post it.

Another thing that touched me was both at the Mildura and Red Cliffs memorial walls I noticed Gleeson was on thier, they may not be related but just to see my family name on thier made me proud. Both my Grandfathers didn't fight in the war. My mum's father got called but got out of going due to his work on the family farm. My dad's father went to Darwin but didn't go to the war front, Dad says he isn't sure what happened my Poppy never talked about it. So although I had no direct family members in the war to see my family name up there still made me proud and thats who I thought about during my 3 minute silence (1 minute at Mildura 2 at Red cliffs). I couldn't put a face to the name but I quietly said thank you to them.

Then we went to the Mildura march and to see again young and old marching was awesome. This talk about not having children marching in the march is stupid in my opnion, it is them who we have to carry on this legacy for their grandparents and pay respect to a history that is dear to Australia.

I believe after my first ANZAC day I will be going again and again sure I don't have medals of grandparents to show but I still think it's important to remember the men and women who risked thier lives to fight in a war that shouldn't even have started under the Australian flag and for our freedom. ANZAC day is not a celebration of war but a remembrance of those lost and living who kept this country safe. Every country has somesort of remembrance for war and people who were lost http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Remembrance_days (list of some of them)

I have decided I will be going to the dawn service every year now (it is one day of the year I have to get up early) and also decided I want to go to Gallipoli for an ANZAC service one day and even eventually walk the Kokoda trail (if we still can). Just to pay my respects and say thanks

LEST WE FORGET!!