ANZAC DAY REFLECTION

On the 25th of April each year, we commemorate the actions and sacrifices of the Australians who landed at Gallipoli in 1915 and all that have served in the protection of Australia. 

Our School Captains did a fantastic job representing St Mary MacKillop College leading the ANZAC Day service and laying the wreath. It was wonderful to see our students representing the school in uniform or participating in the service as part of the Air Force Cadets. 

On the 25th of April 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the Allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula. These became known as ANZACs and the pride they took in that name continues to this day.

The ANZACs set out to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula in order to open the Dardanelles to the Allied navies. The objective was to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul in Turkey), the capital of the Ottoman Empire, and an ally of Germany. 

The Anzacs were courageous and although the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives, the Australian and New Zealand actions during the campaign left us all a powerful legacy. 

The Ode of Remembrance comes from For the Fallen, a poem by the English poet and writer Laurence Binyon. Binyon wrote the poem in the early days of World War One. By mid-September 1914, less than seven weeks after the outbreak of war, the British Expeditionary Force in France had already suffered severe casualties. Long lists of the dead and wounded appeared in British newspapers. It was against this background that Binyon wrote For the Fallen.

The Ode of Remembrance has been recited to commemorate wartime service and sacrifice since 1921.

"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."

We will remember them.

Lest we Forget