Why is ANZAC day so important to us as Australians? By Neil Dingley S Image courtesy of:

On the 25 th of April every year, the whole of Australia partakes in solemn ceremonies of remembrance, gratitude and national pride for our fallen soldiers who have fought and died for our freedom. That day is ANZAC Day. How did ANZAC Day get its name? Image courtesy of:

Over Australian soldiers have given their lives, and many more suffered awful injuries, defending Australia, her Allies, and the rights and freedom of defenceless people across the globe since we became a federation in These soldiers died in places many of us have never heard of. If you take an average class of 25 children, you would need more than 4000 classes of that size to equal the number of Australians that have been killed in action. How many wars can you think of that Australia has been involved in and how many people do you think sacrificed their lives in each? Image courtesy of :

ANZAC Woman Woman have a proud history in support of the Australian Defence Force. Although it is only in recent times that woman have served as soldiers, they have contributed enormously in every conflict Australia has been involved in. ANZAC Day honours the part they have played and the sacrifices they have made in the name of Australia and freedom. In what way do you think woman would have contributed to the war effort in previous wars? dhood/women/main.html dhood/women/main.html Image courtesy of: od/women/main.html od/women/main.html

When was the first ANZAC day commemoration? Image courtesy of

Where ANZACs Lie Although so long ago that none of the soldiers from the Gallipoli campaign are still alive today, many people travel each year to the battle fields of Gallipoli to pay their respects to these first ANZACs to fall. It is this dedication, respect and love that drives our soldiers today to put their lives on the line for their countrymen…that’s you and I. What do you imagine the battle fields of Gallipoli would look like now, nearly 100 years after the battle? Image retrieved from nment/vc/gallery/lonepine/alternate. html

The Bravery of the ANZACS and the Victoria Cross Some of our brave soldiers were rewarded for their great heroism and courage under fire. Some of them have never been found or their bodies identified or recovered. Many still lay in battle field graves where they were berried by their fellow soldiers in far away countries. Do you think you would be brave enough to be awarded the Victoria Cross? Image retrieved from Image retrieved from day.org.au/educati on/medals/vc/defa ult.html day.org.au/educati on/medals/vc/defa ult.html

We honour the soldiers, not the act of war. Do you know when World War 2 took place? Although we must honour our fallen soldiers, we must always remember the cost of war. Every fallen soldier is someone's child, possibly someone's father or husband. Listen to this poem written by a man who lost his father in World War 2 when he was only a young boy. As a man, he tells us of his lingering pain. Image retrieved from

The memory of their fallen comrades, and the awful things these men endured, often haunt them for the rest of their lives. And all they ask of us, is to take one morning each year to stand in silence and remember with them, their fallen brothers in arms. Lest we forget. What does “Lest we forget” mean?

And our soldiers continue to fall! It is a sad reality that even in modern times, our brave soldiers continue to lay down their lives in the defence of the innocent. Image courtesy of

ANZAC Day is not only about the dead; all Australians can take pride in the ANZAC spirit. After all, the best way to honour our fallen heroes is to build the bright future that they gave up their lives for. How would you define the ANZAC Spirit? graph.com.au/news/ bodies-of-fallen- australian-troops- mishandled-after- diggers-were- mistakenly-placed-in- upside-down- caskets/story- e6freuy ,00.html downunder/woundedsol dier.html

Year 3 - Days and weeks celebrated or commemorated in Australia (including Australia Day, Harmony Week, ANZAC Day, NAIDOC week) and the importance of symbols and emblems (ACHHK063) The following websites were used in the creation of this WebStory: