ANZAC Day 100

One hundred years ago today, the fledgling nations of Australia and New Zealand saw warfare in their own names for the very first time. It was  the landing of the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps on the beaches at Gallipoli, part of present day Turkey.  Over a period of seven months the Turks fought the British and Commonwealth forces to a standstill, until at last a decision was made to withdraw them. By that stage more than 12,000 ANZAC troops had lost their lives. 

The Ottoman soldiers were defending their country, their homes and their families. They fought fiercely but honourably. In hind sight the campaign had been ill conceived from the beginning and should never have happened. Today, Turkey is numbered among our nations' friends.

Nonetheless we Aussies and Kiwis commemorate this landing day every year to pay tribute to all of those who have served and died in all the wars ever since. Lest we forget.

I attended the ceremony and march past of veterans, conducted by the Blackheath RSL today. I took several pictures but (in spite of the "extras" we are now allowed) I wanted only one picture to mark the occasion. Somehow the flag, backlit by the muted sun, offered me more power than the dynamically full coloured version with the sun behind me.

Interestingly, a few hours after the ceremony, Blackheath received the worst hail storm in my time as a resident. I shall attach some extra images for you to see something of it.