ANZAC DAY ASSEMBLY 23 APRIL read by Sandra Saman

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1 ANZAC DAY ASSEMBLY 23 APRIL 2018 read by Sandra Saman

2 The meaning of ANZAC day ANZAC Day is a very special and important day for Australians. It is a day when all Australians can come together to honor and remember the soldiers who fought and died for our country in World War I and all the other wars Australia has fought since. Most importantly, it is a chance for us to reflect on the spirit of the ANZACs both past and present, and what they mean to Australia. The ANZAC acronym came from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, formed in Egypt prior to the Gallipoli Campaign. These original ANZACs, and all the soldiers to follow, fought as they lived bravely, openly and independently. They displayed an immense amount of courage and compassion. But above all, the ANZAC s valued mateship. This quality was so important to the ANZACs that men and women would die for their mates. ANZAC Day is a time for us to pay tribute to these brave people, who fought and died for our country, so that future generations like ours could live in freedom. Their extraordinary act of self-sacrifice is remembered every year, when we take the time to pay our respects and say thank you for the freedom that we have today. With the trumpet playing the Last Post, the reading of the Ode, and one minute s silence, we have the chance to reflect on the Spirit of the ANZACs, and what it means for Australia today. By Ronan Edwards

3 ANZAC day commemoration I am honoured to speak this morning, firstly of my career and then of what ANZAC Day means to me. I spent 25 years in the Australian Army before becoming a teacher. I joined the Army in 1981 at a time when the world was generally peaceful; not much happening in the way of conflicts, the job was mainly peace keeping and providing aid support. I became an Electronics Technician radio repairs and managing wireless systems (the old style). I was posted to various units around the country where I was worked on the development of a field deployable computer network. I was then deployed to Cambodia for six months to train soldiers in radio maintenance where I worked alongside engineers conducting mine clearance training to Kmer soldiers. I was later posted to Papua New Guinea for 3 years to provide communication advice to the police. I was also a member of a small team that installed emergency radio equipment along the Kokoda Track. Many people in the past have walked the track and become lost or have become ill. The access to communication has reduced these occurrences. Now for my thoughts about ANZAC Day. For me (and many others) ANZAC Day has become not just a remembrance for those from WWI, but all conflicts (WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq) Peace Keeping, Rwanda, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea and East Timor as some of the recent examples. It is also those that have lost their lives while in training, such as the 18 who died in a single accident when two Black Hawk helicopters collided in 1997 and those many individuals that have lost their lives over the years during training. I also would like to pass my thoughts and warm wishes on to those members of the Defence Force that have been incapacitated through both active and non-active service. To serve your country is an honour and I like to remember all the men and women who have served Australia. ANZAC Day is about appreciating, remembering and thanking all who have and who are currently serving Australia. In closing, I would like to remember those currently serving overseas in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Lebanon, South Sudan, and other locations. Lest We Forget. BY MR COLIN HEALEY

4 DON T STOP - ANZAC POEM This poem is by Ian Evans, and was written in memory of his grandmother s pain. It is about how terrible news was delivered to families from the war zones back in the day. News of pain and death was delivered by bicycles and in telegrams, often weeks and months after the events. This was in the times before social media, and before there was instant communication through phones and later more sophisticated mobile devices. Don t Stop The bike it squeaked through West Perth streets, Bearing news unwelcome, feared, unsought. They knew the sound, heard oft repeat And silence fell. Of death, the message brought. "Don't stop", they prayed, least don't stop here. Please not MY son's name. Keep riding dear. Prams stopped, blinds pulled, held breath. Whose turn now, that brown sealed gram? Whose time for sadness, long, all depth? Whose name inscribed? Whose son to damn? "Don't stop", they prayed, least don't stop here. Please not my son's name. Keep riding dear. But stop it did, he at her door. Reluctant, swung, to greet the rider. A shaking hand; a death it bore. Time stopped, dark fell, joy bled inside her "Don't stop", she'd prayed before, least don't stop here Not my son's name, his life so dear. But stop it had. The name. T' was him. It drained her life, her blood, her breath. The ground neath swayed; the world fell dim. It can't be true! Her boy. His death. "Don't stop", she'd prayed, to no avail Like prayers, his life, hers. All to fail. "Don't stop", she'd pray, For years she'd bear. In dreams repeat; that bike. Please ride past dear. Read by Ash fisher

5 The ODE Read by Elli-Dion Martin