Thursday, April 26, 2012

Anzac Day


We decided to go to the Dawn Service in Martin Place. The Dawn Service has nothing to do with dawn - that doesn't happen til about 6.30 on April 25th. The service is apparently held then, because that was the time the boats first landed on the shores of Gallipoli on April 25th, 1915. So we set off in the cold at 2.30 am to drive to St Leonards to catch the train into town. (hardly as epic as landing on the war torn shores of Gallipoli in small boats in the freezing cold waters, I know). Here's the documentary evidence - Martin Place @3.50am:-)

There was a crowd of 20,000 standing there in the darkness listening to to the lone Bugler playing "The Last Post" -tears were shed. This pic was snapped on my phone while we waited for the service to start. The sailor is from HMAS Kuttabull - my father was serving on the HMAS Kuttabull when it was sunk in Sydney Harbour on 1/6/1942 by a Japanese submarine. He was on shore at the time, but spent the next day diving , looking for his mates who never returned. So the Kuttabul has a sentimental place in our family history and hearts:-). The man is reading The Order of Service for Anzac Day 2012 and the lady is holding flowers she will lay at the cenotaph.

Later, we just happened to see the bugler repeat The Last Post  for the television cameras.  Here it is..never fails to stir the emotions.









After the service, we had brekkie - the BEST bacon and egg rolls - and hung around the cenotaph looking at the wreaths and absorbing the atmosphere while we waited for the Parade to start. One side of the Cenotaph reads "Lest We Forget" , the other "To Our Glorious Dead".


A couple of diggers with an impressive array of medals, happy to pose for me:-)



Taxis waiting in Pitt Street to take the elderly and infirm diggers.




Sousaphone on it's way to join it's band....Gotta feel sorry for sousaphone players... Ridiculous looking instrument!! Must be heavy! Sounds weird!



Journo filing a report on the steps of the Westin, Martin Place

Wreath on the Cenotaph:

Friendly cadet giving out sprigs of rosemary with little Aussie flags

Me and my new friend:-) - a selfie..


Anzac Day will continue next post with the Parade!:-)

1 Comments:

Anonymous Chris said...

that journo looks familiar!

7:13 PM  

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