Anzac Day at Heathmont
ANZAC Day at Heathmont College
Commemorating the Australian lives lost in military combat on April 25th is important every year. This year, my high school, Heathmont College did more than just a minute of silence to remember those soldiers. 2023 was our first year of fundraising for the ANZAC Appeal, and we sold badges, pens and wristbands to students, parents and teachers of our community with the assistance of the Ringwood RSL. We lay a wreath at the Ringwood Clocktower every year, but this year our principal and School Captains attended the Sunday Anzac March as well. ANZAC Day is supposed to give us a space to remember family members, friends and others who were lost in various wars, and Heathmont College created a couple of interactive spaces for students to do the same.
A display in the library encouraged teachers and students alike to share personal ANZAC stories, as well as photos, medals and war documents. A student in Year 11 wrote a poem, published in the Heathmont Gazette to commemorate ANZAC Day, and a lunchtime club called Makerspace created handmade poppies. The soldiers that we remember on ANZAC Day fought for the freedom of the country we call home. It’s important for us to do all we can to commemorate all that they sacrificed for us, lest we forget.
"Below is a picture containing an image of my great grandfather - my mother’s grandfather, James Stewart (bottom right). This shows him in Egypt before heading on to Gallipoli. He survived to go on to the Somme. Somehow, he also survived that. It’s impossible to know the horrors he saw and sacrifices he made to fight for what he thought was right."
April 25th, 1916
The first
ANZAC Day.
113 years later
And here we are again.
Remembering.
From the 25th April, 1915
To the 20th December, 1915
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
Fought.
They fought a battle that could never have been won.
They fought not only their opponents
But homesickness and disease
And they still fought.
16, 000 ANZACs fought for the freedom of their country.
Only half made it home.
In Flanders Fields
The poppies grow
Between the crosses
Row on row.
8, 000 soldiers
Brothers, fathers, sons, lovers
Fought
And were left behind.
But not forgotten.
Never forgotten.
We rise at dawn
113 years later
On the same day they landed
And we do not forget them.
We march
And give speeches and silence
And we do not forget them.
We wear poppies
And carry their sacrifice with us
And we do not forget them.
103, 021 ANZACs
Have died during service.
Fighting for the freedom
We so gratefully call our own.
On the 25th of April
We remember all of them.
Evie Taylor
Year 11