On
this 100th Anniversary of the landing of
the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
troops at Gallipoli, we Commemorate the
event with special sadness because for the
first time,
the men who made that faithful landing on
the
25th of April 1915 are no
longer with us.
It is therefore, that we revisit the
reasons why we Commemorate ANZAC DAY, and
exactly what it means to us all as a
Nation and as individuals.
It is often been said that Australia came
of age on the morning some 13 years after
Federation.
That may be true and perhaps that is why
we hold the day in such high regard in our
national calendar. It certainly is not to
celebrate a great Military Victory,
because the landing and subsequent the
Battle at GALLIPOLI was not that. The
ANZAC Force was landed at the wrong place,
after setting out at about 3.30am from the
fleet of ships anchored off shore, on a a
night so dark, not even the shoreline was
visible. They initially encountered fairly
light fire from the Turkish defenders, but
the Turkish positions were quickly
reinforced, and by mid morning the
Australians and the New Zealanders were
faced with withering riffle and machine
gun fire from
above. At the end of that first day 2,000
Men lay dead for the gain of about six
square Kilometers and any advance of
scarcely one Kilometer inland, where they
clung desperately to a small foothold. It was a Military disaster from any
viewpoint, except for the well planned and
successful evacuation which followed some
eight months later.
The final count of the Allies casualties
in the
Gallipoli Campaign was 250,000, of which
10,000 were ANZAC troops.
But of course it is just not Gallipoli we
remember on this day, nor is it even the
First World War. This is a day set aside
for us all to collectively give thanks to
all those Men and Woman, who have put
their lives at risk, and and in many cases
paid the supreme price. We also
acknowledge the losses and sacrifices of
their Families. These Men and Woman did
not start the Wars in which they were
involved, that was the responsibility of
the Government of the day and our
Government is the agent of the People of
Australia. The Sailors, Soldiers and
Airmen and Woman therefore, were fighting
of all the people of Australia.
What they did was to offer their very
existence when they were told that their
Country needed them. I say their Country,
but it many cases, particularly in the
First World War, they were doing so for a
Country which was not theirs by birth or
even Citizenship, for many of them had
been born overseas and were Australian by
Immigration.
Anzac Day is therefore a day for all
Australians, regardless of religion,
racial background or even place of birth.
It is a day to commemorate the bravery and
self-sacrifice of past and present
generations. It is a day to acknowledge
the selflessness of all those who have
been prepared to lay down their lives for
Australia so that it can be a place of
freedom for all. On this ANZAC day,
we thank and recognize those who served in
the First and Second World Wars,
KOREA,MALAYA,
VIETNAM, GULF, IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN and other
peace keeping areas our Forces operate.
ANZAC Day is not a day for honoring War,
for War is not something to be honored.
War is something which is used as a last
resort when diplomacy has failed and is
used by a Nation to safeguard its
Sovereignty.
We do however, on ANZAC Day, Honour the
people of Australia who have undertaken
warfare to protect that Sovereignty, no
matter how distasteful it may have been to
them personally and in spite of risk of
losing their lives.
ANZAC Day
is not merely a date, or some remote
Campaign, but rather a spirit. It is a
time to reflect on the qualities of past
Generations of Australians who in hardship
displayed courage, Discipline, self
Sacrifice, self –Reliance, Resourcefulness
and Friendship.
Even as the numbers of Ex-Servicemen and
Women grow smaller, the spirit of ANZAC
Day, which was bequeathed to us from
Battlefields long ago, we will live on in
our lives because it is a reflection of
the very heart of our Nation.
History shows that, for a peace loving
people, we have been a formidable
adversary, when stirred to action and also
remarkably successful at the business of
war. On every occasion when Australians
have been called upon to protect freedom,
they have done so generously, effectively
and efficiently.
Gallipoli of course stands out on ANZAC
Day. At the conclusion of the War a
quarter of a million Australians from a
Nation of only 5 Million had been
Casualties, and sixty thousand Australians
had been killed, a tragic average of one
person for every seventeen in our
population, either dead or injured as a
result of War.
ANZAC
Day is more than a National Holiday, but
rather a fundamental Australian tradition.
Wherever Australians or New Zealanders are
to be found today, it is likely that an
ANZAC Day
Service
of some description is taken place. Such
is the feeling that Australians have for
the
25TH
of
April.
The ANZAC spirit exists in each of us so
therefore let us be guided by the ANZAC
spirit in facing the National and personal
challenges ahead, and let us strive to be
worthy of their sacrifice.
LEST WE FORGET
Steve Kyritsis
President
Hellenic RSL Sub-Branch
Melbourne Victoria.
