Rachel:
Today is ANZAC Day in Australia, which is similar to Remembrance Day in Canada. Australians commemorate their veterans from all wars today by having a dawn service.
Here in Melbourne, the dawn service is held at the Shine of Remembrance at the Botanical Gardens, close to our house. We didn't go because Kurtis' back was messed up (I'm sure he'll share the story, but whatever he says, it WAS his skateboarding that did it) and because I was extremely sleep deprived after going to practicum and then straight to work, getting home at 10:30 on Thursday and Friday.
We did watch the TV coverage though. It was nice to see that the veterans were being remembered and honoured on this day. I did find it very Australian, though, that on ANZAC Day, the Aussies had somehow found a way of incorporating sport and beer into the ANZAC Day tradition. They have the ANZAC Day AFL game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which is sold out almost a year in advance and attracts 90,000 spectators at the MCG. They also "Raise a glass," of VB (Victoria Bitter) to honour those who have fallen. Quite an Australian Day if you ask me. The only thing missing was Vegemite and Tim Tams.
ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and they make many references toGallipoli, an infamous ANZAC battle in WWI in Turkey, where the ANZACs lost many soldiers or "diggers" as they are referred to here. Australians flock to Gallipoli, specifically Anzac Cove, on ANZAC Day to remember those who died there and in all other conflicts Australians have fought in.
I also found out that the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in St. John's commemorates ANZAC Day with a march to the National War Memorial in St. John's. (For Papa)
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