ANZAC DAY | "We Will Remember Them" { A 100 Years 1915-2015}

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the gong down of the sun and in the morning 

We will remember them."

Hello, dear friends. It has been a while since I last posted - I will get to share hopefully soon about some of the stuff that I have been up to lately, but for today I have a special edition post that I am excited about! Last Saturday was ANZAC Day here in Australia, a pretty important national day in which we remember the service of the soldiers in Australia from the Gallipoli campaign and throughout all wars of this past century. This year's commemoration is quite monumental since it is the 100th centenary of the ANZAC's (Australian and New Zealand troops') landings in Gallipoli during World War 1. It was made extra special this year for me, in remembering the sacrifice and courage of those men and women of World War 1, when two of my sisters, and my mum and I visited Canberra (the capital)  back in March and had the opportunity to visit Parliament House, see the Australian War Memorial, and attended the Last Post. It was an amazing and deeply moving experience, in all its history and memory. Also in attending a history conference all about Gallipoli at the same time, I came away with so much more of an interest and fascination with this period of history, and with "the War that would end all wars".

For all you history buffs out there, my sister Sarah shared a blog-post on Of Simple Things, about the ANZACs and some of the history surrounding Gallipoli; I highly recommend you check it out, as she's actually writing her thesis on World War 1 and World War 2 Australian nurses and it is very exciting to see the stuff she's digging up in her research :).

As for me, I decided my way of "commemorating" would be to share some of the photos I took while in Canberra at the national War Memorial.* There is nothing like actually going there in the Museum to feel the sombre gravity and grief over the deaths of those brave men, and it also fills you with such awe as you hear the bugle of "The Last Post" and stand before the grave of the Unknown Soldier, see all the names on the Honour Roll of those who died in the Wars, and just remember the courage and sacrifice, the honour and loyalty and mate-ship these young men and women showed and endured in the face of unimaginable horrors.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." - John 15: 13

*I share quite a lot of photos, so be warned :). Though I honestly tried hard to limit them as much as possible. . . it was just so beautiful and awe-inspiring! Through these pictures I tried to capture the event of the Changing of Guards at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the shrine, and also for the speech, the honorary laying of wreaths in remembrance of those that died, and the bugle call of the Last Post. I also wanted to share some of the amazing stuff inside the museum - but that will have to wait for another day!

One of the first photos I captured as we entered the Australian War Memorial - it was very crowded that afternoon!

We stood by the pool of reflection, waiting for the time of the change of guards.

That blaze is called the Eternal Flame in memory of the men and women that gave their lives for defence of our country and freedoms. . . 

The gates leading to the shrine of the tomb; the guards stand by. "They Gave Their Lives"

The march, and the Change of Guards

"Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal

Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres. 

There is music in the midst of desolation

And a glory that shines upon our tears."

It was beautiful inside the Shrine, and felt just like an ancient Church chapel. I felt like crying so badly!

a fresco art of an Aussie soldier

and a beautiful fresco of an ANZAC nurse

These stained-glass windows. . . 

"To mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the First World War, the body of an unknown Australian soldier was recovered from Adelaide Cemetery near Villers-Bretonneaux in France and transported to Australia. After lying in state in King’s Hall in Old Parliament House, the Unknown Australian Soldier was interred in the Hall of Memory on 11 November 1993. He was buried in a Tasmanian blackwood coffin, on which were placed a bayonet and a sprig of wattle. Soil from the Pozières battlefield in France was scattered in his tomb." (quoted from the Australian War Memorial website)

"He is all of them, and he is one of us"

"They went with songs to the battle, they were young,

Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe."

I just love this stained-glass painting of an ANZAC nurse so much. . .

"But where our desires are and our hopes profound,

Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,

To the innermost heart of their own land they are known

As the stars are known to the Night;"

they throw coins in memory. . . 

Every day, a different fallen Aussie soldier's photo is mounted on the easel, and a small biography of their life is told.

The Last Post. . . I sadly wasn't able to get a photo of the trumpeter who played the last call of the bugle. But it was beautiful, haunting, and very moving!

the laying of wreaths

We will remember them!

The gates of the shrine are shut

The foliage in Canberra is beautiful, and more European looking than we have in Queensland. I enjoyed taking photos on the grounds of the War Memorial.

It was a beautiful, sunny day!

The Australian War Memorial

A statue of Simpson and his donkey, helping bring a wounded soldier to safety. He is such an ANZAC legend!

"As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,

Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,

As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,

To the end, to the end, they remain."

So much awe and beauty in the sadness. . .
so much honour and glory in sacrifice, death and sorrow.

The Honour Roll, a list of all the men and women who died in service to our country!

Those who have died in recent conflicts such as in Afghanistan. . . 

The classic "view" of Canberra, and Parliament House from the site of the War Memorial

"They 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."

(excerpts of this poem taken from For The Fallen

by Laurence Binyon 1869-1943)

"LEST WE FORGET"