Personal thoughts on ANZAC day

Once upon a timewhen I was younger, I was a territrorial force soldier, not that this means anything important now (having quit in mid 1997), but with another ANZAC day been and gone, some of the memories have come to the surface once more. I haven't taken part in a dawn service since 1998, when I joined in with some friends to go to one. However, back in 1996, I was part of the firing for the cenotaph service in Ashurst. Later in the morning we were "borrowed" to take place at a grave side remberence ceremony for some of the soldiers. Up untill that day I hadn't really gotten ANZAC day. I was familiar the with history behind it, but it was all rather impersonal. Then standing as an honour guard at the graveside it began to sink in. Watching the faces of the returned soldiers during the ceremony it slowly dawned that these had been real people, whom had not existed within a vacuum, and that their deaths were still felt by the families and the loved ones of the fallen.

They went out as young men and women and served their country. ANZAC day commemorates those who did not return, so that our entire country can remember them and their sacrafice.