ANZAC Day

Chapter 8

Every year, on the 25th of April, heads are bowed for a period of silence... for soldiers who took their lives for us, for soldiers who left everything and everyone they knew for us, and for the soldiers who fought for our future.

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ANZAC Day! It's one of the most significant days in Australia and New Zealand's calendars, serving as a time to remember everyone who has died in and/or fought in wars.

Originally, ANZAC Day was just for remembering those who fought in Gallipoli during World War I, but now it is a day to remember everyone who has served and died fighting in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.

The origins of ANZAC Day start all the way back during the Gallipoli campaign, which began on April 25th, 1915. During World War I, soldiers who fought for Australia or New Zealand, known as the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), were sent to Gallipoli, Turkey. Their mission, part of a larger Allied operation, was to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul) to open up a larger front against the Ottoman Empire, an ally of Germany.

However, they weren't succeeding, and instead, they experienced intense resistance from the Turkish troops. By the time the Allies withdrew from Gallipoli in January 1916, over 8700 Australians and over 2700 New Zealanders had fallen fighting for their countries.

The first ANZAC Day was held in 1916, a year after Gallipoli. It was a day to mourn the loss of friends, family and fellow soldiers, as well as remember the major sacrifices made so we could have peace today. Over time, ANZAC Day grew, becoming a national day and even a public holiday in Australia, New Zealand, and Tonga!

As you may already know, the red poppy is a symbol of ANZAC Day. It originates from the field of Flanders, Belgium, where poppies grew after the battle. All the fighting left the ground bare and dry, and as a result, one of the first flowers to bloom was the red poppy. Some believe that they bloomed because of the soldier’s blood, but that’s more symbolic than scientific. Since then, the red poppy has become a symbol of ANZAC Day.

Other flowers that symbolise ANZAC Day are rosemary, Anzac roses, Gallipoli roses, and much, much more!

So, to conclude, ANZAC Day is more than a public holiday. It's a day of remembrance, peace, and resilience, acknowledging everyone who has or is fighting, and it still remains one of the most important and meaningful occasions in the Australian and New Zealand calendar.

Thank you so much for reading, everybody... Happy ANZAC Day!

Written By Alannah V.
Edited By Hazel Antler.
Proofread By Daphne Clarke.