Lest we forget....Anzac Day post

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, originally commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps  (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli during World War I.  It now more broadly commemorates all those who served and died in military operations for their countries.

Dawn Services are held both in Australia and in several other countries.  At almost, if not at all 'official' ceremonies (I'm pretty sure, it would be at all, but am trying to cover my bases here!), the Last Post is played.  The following video is not only of the Last Post being played by a sole trumpet, it also has the words of the odes.



Wikipedia has the following information about the odes, which is taken from the "Ode of Rememberence"


The "Ode of Remembrance" is an ode taken from Laurence Binyon's poem, "For the Fallen", which was first published in The Times in September 1914.

'For The Fallen' plaque with The Rumps promontory beyond

The poet wrote For the Fallen, which has seven stanzas, while sitting on the cliffs between Pentire Point and The Rumps in north Cornwall, UK. A stone plaque was erected at the spot in 2001 to commemorate the fact. The plaque bears the inscription:

For the Fallen

Composed on these cliffs 1914

There is also a plaque on the beehive monument on the East Cliff above Portreath in central North Cornwall which cites that as the place where Binyon composed the poem.
The poem honoured the World War I British war dead of that time, and in particular the British Expeditionary Force, which by then already had high casualty rates on the developing Western Front. The poem was published when the Battle of the Marne was foremost in people's minds.

War memorial in ChristChurch Cathedral, Christchurch, NZ

Over time, the third and fourth stanzas of the poem (although often just the fourth)^[1] were claimed as a tribute to all casualties of war, regardless of state.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

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.

The phrase Lest we forget is often added as a final line at the end of the ode and repeated in response by those listening, especially in Australia.

The following video is one I found on You Tube that sends a tribute to some of Australia's Fallen Heroes.



I've always loved the following song, it's by Debbie Byrne (think Young Talent Time) and is from an old Aussie movie called "Rebel" and I send it out to all the "Aussie Heroes" who are currently deployed overseas.



To all Defence Force Personnel I thank you for the service you provide to maintain our safety and freedom. 

Don't forget, if you are about to deploy, or you have a loved one who is already deployed, or about to deploy, you can send a request in for a quilt and/or laundry bag to be mailed off to them, by contacting Aussie Hero Quilts founder, Jan-Maree, just click HERE to go visit the AHQ blog and see what you can do to help out too!

Until you're back home on Aussie soil, stay safe.