Anzac Tradition Essay, Research Paper

Anzac Tradition.

In 1914 world war 1 broke out and ended in 1918. During this time the government formed the Australian Imperial Force ( AIF ) at no stage was Oz directly threatened by war the troops of the AIF were sent to fight overseas and were joined by New Zealand troops. The combined troops became known as the ANZACs which stood for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Many women joined the Australian Army Nursing Service.

Many women and girls contributed to the war effort. Most of the work they did was voluntary and unpaid. May women worked as members of large groups such as Red Cross Society, AIF, and the Australians Comforts Fund. Other women contributed as individuals to the anzac spirit, but the kinds of work they did were limited. However they, they raised a great deal of money and provided comforts ( such as clothing, food, and other gifts)

The ANZACs fought at Gallipoli in turkey. Which was an ally of Germany and in France, Egypt, Libya, Greece, Crete and the middle east.troop ships soldiers lived on, operated by Royal Australian Navy, set up in large tents was the casualty clearing stations. Here, mainly women, doctors, nursing sisters and medical orderlies did what they could do to patch up wounded soldiers who where then sent on to hospitals. Australian troops returned to no great victory parades, partly because they came back so irregularly during 1919 and 1920. Also because of the influenza pandemic of early to mid 1919 which stopped people mixing together in large numbers Yet leaving was for many of the Anzacs the greatest tragedy of all since it meant leaving their dead mates buried in an alien land so far from home But the ANZACs were there through the heat, and the flies, and the stench of death, and disease, and attack, and counter-attack, and the cold as winter drew on.

Anzac Day is a day set aside each year by all Australians to honor and commemorate all those who fought in the war. It usually commences with a dawn service in the early hours of the day which many attend to lay flowers on plaques such as the Canberra War Memorial. Anzac Day falls on the 25th of April every year, the first of which was in 1920 not long after the war ended.

It was at Gallipoli that there emerged the tradition of ANZAC with the ideals of courage and sacrifice and the principles of mateship that distinguish and unite all Australian

Each year the commemorations follow a pattern that is familiar to each generation of Australians. For young people and especially people from other cultures, some aspects warrant a few words of explanation.

Traditionally a circlet of flowers is laid at a cenotaph in remembrance of the dead. Laurel and rosemary have been associated with Anzac Day. Laurel was used as a symbol of honor, woven into a wreath by the ancient Romans to crown victors and the brave. Rosemary is a flower symbolizing remembrance. However, in recent years, the poppy, formerly associated with Remembrance Day (11 November), has become very popular in wreaths used on Anzac Day.

Silence for one or to minutes is included as a sign of respect. It offers a time for remembrance, for thinking about the significance of the whole ceremony.

The original ANZACs have grown very old, most have died off, but they will never be forgotten.

The celebration continues to change and evolve but it still retains a great significance for many millions of Australians of all generations and now diverse ethnic backgrounds, with Poles and other Europeans and the Vietnamese proud to march beside the diggers.

Australians will continue to remember that first ANZAC Day in dawn services and other commemorative events and to celebrate the freedoms they have won for us.

Let us hope too, that they will never forget what Australians endured and achieved in France and Belgium, the Middle east, New Guinea and the Islands, Malaya, Borneo, Indonesia, Korea and Vietnam. Let us hope that they will reflect on the futility and horror of war and vow each ANZAC Day that there should be no more of it.