Lest we Forget

Hello all today is Anzac Day here in Australia, it is one of the nations most important days, it marks the anniversary of the first major military action undertook by Australian and New Zealand forces during the first world way.

The 25^th April was the day that the Anzac's landed at Gallipoli and even though the whole Gallipoli campaign was a failure it was at Gallipoli that for many the Anzac legend was born becoming an important part of the identity of both countries, shaping the way in which they were viewed both in the past in years to come.

The first Anzac Day commemorations were held on the 25^th April 1916 a year after the Gallipoli disaster. That day was marked by ceremonies and services across the country in Sydney march convoys of cars carried the soldiers wounded at Gallipoli. There was a march in London with around 2,000 Australian and New Zealand troops marching, a London newspaper used the headline “the knights of Gallipoli” there was as well and sports day in the Australian camp in Egypt.

For those who don't know when the First World War broke out Australia had only been a federated nation for 13 years, thus the government at the time was eager to establish a reputation among other nations of the world.

By the end of the Gallipoli campaign more the 8,000 Australian soldiers had died, Gallipoli had a profound impact on those back home in Australia and the 25^th April soon became the day which Australians would remember the sacrifice of those who died in the war, later on it would be come the nations day to remember all those who died in all wars.

It was in 1927 that for the first time all states observed some form of public holiday on Anzac Day by the mid 1930's all the rituals which are now associated with the Anzac Day were firmly established as part of the Anzac Day culture.

These rituals are the dawn service which was the time of the original landing at Gallipoli, later in the day ex-servicemen and women take part in marches through the major cities and in some smaller towns as well. There are more formal commemorative services held at the war memorials around the country.

A typical Anzac Day ceremony may include the following features: an introduction, hymn, prayer, an address, laying of wreaths, a recitation, the Last Post, a period of silence, either the Rouse or the Reveille, and the national anthem. After the Memorial’s ceremony, families often place red poppies beside the names of relatives on the Memorial’s Roll of Honour, as they also do after Remembrance Day services.

Now for a little about the Anzac biscuit, during the First World War friends and families of soldiers would send food to those fighting because of the time delay getting the food from here to there and the need for the items to not need refrigeration many would send biscuits.

Anzac biscuits are made with rolled oats, sugar, plain flour, coconut, butter,golden syrup, bi-carbonate and boiling water. Of course these biscuits where first known as the Soldiers' Biscuit, the name Anzac Biscuit came about due to our desire to recognise the Anzac traditional and the part the biscuit played in the diet of Gallipoli.

The Anzac biscuit is one of the few commodities that are able to be legally marketed in Australia using the word ‘Anzac’, which is protected by Federal Legislation.