What is ANZAC Day? (General)

by jhopkins , Friday, April 15, 2011, 11:20 (4975 days ago) @ peteressex

Three of my uncles fought in the European theatre as part of the Anzacs in WW1 - places like the Somme and Passchendale, which was NZ's biggest military disaster. My uncles were grandchildren of Foresters rather than Foresters themselves. When they were on leave in Britain they tried to locate relatives in the Forest, but despite the fact the family only left in the 1860's, they couldn't find any.

Anzac Day in NZ is observed by more people than in previous years - attendances at Dawn Services and the regular morning citizens' services are increasing every year. Children and young people particularly are attending in amazing numbers. All shops and pubs are shut for the morning in NZ - it is not long ago since shops and pubs were shut all day. A visit to Gallipoli on Anzac Day is now a necessary part of a young Kiwi's overseas experience - both of my daughters have been there for the dawn service at the NZ and Australian memorials.

Anzac Day - 25 April - was the day the Anzacs landed in Gallipoli, and it is often thought of as the day NZ came of age - when NZ started to feel like an independent nation, and the scales fell off our eyes regarding politicians like Churchill and the British generals who ran the show.