General public 1

This day marks the anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli. Like hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens, who gather at memorials in cities, suburbs and towns across Australia, we have come here to commemorate one of the most significant events in our national calendar.

In recent years some commentators have expressed amazement at the fact that the observance of ANZAC day continues to draw record crowds. However, those who are surprised by this fact show that they understand very little about our national character and the way in which it comes to affect all who settle in this country, even those who have lived here for just a short while.

For younger generations, it is some times difficult to understand why it is with gratitude that we should remember, but we have enjoyed the benefits of the peace and easy existence, which was purchased at the cost of many lives. We have never had to risk anything ourselves, or chance our loved ones to the dangers of war. But, for older generations of Australians, remembering such things is easier. War and death came far too frequently into their lives, as the men and women of our armed forces saw active service in turkey, France, Palestine, the Middle East, Malaya, New Guinea, Borneo, Korea and Vietnam.

Younger generations have not known what it is like to follow the progress of far off battles in newspapers, newsreels or on television. They have never searched with dread the casualty lists, nor felt grief spread through our communities while waiting for official confirmation of the death of a husband, father, brother, son, friend or neighbour.

If we pause, just even once a year, to imagine these things we begin to understand the depth of feeling which inspired this memory, for a life offered up in the defence of their community, is the greatest contribution which any citizen can make to their nation. But it is not death or even sacrifice that we celebrate ANZAC day, although in fighting for our nation these men sacrificed much. They put aside all personal blessings – family, wealth and the future enjoyment of these – to confront dangers that threatened their community.

There is something very Australian in coming together for such a cause. Like our natural disposition to stick together in adversity, it is a simple, comradely gesture, which flows from the deepest springs of our national character.

And so it was, lives were spent in defence of a characteristically Australian belief. It is not a belief you find recorded in the histories of the war, it has no monuments to preserve it, except our national identity and spirit. And it is this: being an Australian means that we believe happiness is the right of all people in this country, a deep conviction that there is common good.
Future generations need to be reminded that happiness has a price. For surely if happiness is the product of freedom, then freedom is the reward of courage. In order to defend this belief, we must never decline the dangers of war. To do so would diminish the gift of these men and tarnish their memory. Instead, we should feel gratitude for the gift of our present happiness and, in doing so, we will keep bright the memory of those lives.

It is in the remembrance of these things, that communities across the nation, come together on this day.

General public 2

We meet here today, not to celebrate battle or glorify war, but to remember those who have served our country during conflict and crisis.

We remember too, those who served on the home front, supplying material and morale strength to our fighting forces, for theirs was no lessor service to Australia.

ANZAC day is more than a national holiday, but rather a fundamental Australian tradition. Wherever Australians or New Zealanders are found, it is likely that an ANZAC day service of some description is taking place. Such is the feeling that Australians have for the 25th of April.

ANZAC day is not merely a date, or some remote campaign, but rather a spirit. It is a time to reflect on the past generations of Australians who in hardship displayed courage, discipline, self-reliance, self–sacrifice, resourcefulness and friendship. Even as the numbers of ex-servicemen and women grow smaller, the spirit of ANZAC day, which was bequeathed to us from battlefields long ago, will live on because it is a reflection of the very heart of our nation.

Every nation remembers some past event, some battle, or some defining moment of history. Our defining moment came in 1915 at Gallipoli, a campaign which, if not an outright defeat, was certainly not a success.

History shows that, for a peace loving people, we have been a formidable adversary, when stirred to action and also remarkably successful at the business of war. On every occasion when Australians have been called upon to protect freedom, they have done so generously, effectively and efficiently.

Gallipoli was not the first occasion on which Australians had served overseas. In 1885, New South Wales sent a contingent to the Sudan War, and as the twentieth century dawned, Australian contingents also served in the Boer. Although Australians died in all of these wars, none had the international or domestic impact of the Gallipoli campaign.

The young men of Gallipoli were the first ANZACs, ordinary young Australians doing their best in a campaign of intense ferocity. Their casualties were horrendous, nearly 8,000 Australians were killed, and 78,000 wounded at Gallipoli, and to what end? The campaign was a failure, and yet of all the battlefields on which Australians died, it is the disastrous Gallipoli campaign that has come to symbolise the Australian soldier's courage, determination, fighting prowess, humour and mateship. The essence of Gallipoli was that in the face of adversity and potential defeat, the Australian spirit triumphed.

This nation was an unknown element at federation, a fledgling country of huge spaces and sparse population.

The pride and grief of Australia following Gallipoli formed a bond, so strong that it made a statement to the world that we had come of age and that our armed forces and our people were truly now of one nation. By coming together on April 25th each year, this spirit of national unity is rekindled.

Serving the nation takes many forms. The soldiers of Gallipoli, Alamein, long tan and today in Bougainville could only achieve what they did because of the families and people of Australia. This too is part of the ANZAC spirit and the dedication of those who support our servicemen must also be remembered.

Australia today is still a young country, but much has changed from that land which the original ANZACs sailed. It, however, remains a country in which we are free to choose our future and establish our place in the world.

ANZAC day reminds us that wars are to be avoided, but when necessary we must stand up for our values.

It requires us to reflect on the past with pride, but also to look ahead and build on the achievements of our predecessors. By displaying the characteristics of the ANZAC spirit, comradeship, unselfishness, courage, tenacity of spirit, we can enrich the Australian tradition.

The ANZAC spirit exists in each one of us, so therefore, let us be guided by the ANZAC spirit in facing the national and personal challenges ahead, and let us strive to be worthy of the memory of those we honour on ANZAC day.

General public 3

Thank you for the opportunity to join you for your ANZAC day ceremonies.

We are gathered here to honour the memory of those gallant men and women who sacrificed their lives in service to their country. By your presence here i know there is no doubt in your hearts and your minds that today is especially significant. In cities and towns throughout Australia and overseas, ceremonies like this are a permanent reminder to our youth of today that our forefathers thought this wonderful country of ours was worth fighting and dying for.

I have often thought that perhaps the term 'ANZAC' has been misunderstood. It is not a place, nor is it a campaign or a war. It is not a ceremony or a parade either. The term ANZAC comes from words Australian and New Zealand army corps which I am sure you are all aware of. However, I feel the term ANZAC has transcended the physical meaning to become a spirit – an inspiration which embodies the qualities of courage, discipline, sacrifice, self-reliance and in Australian terms, that of mateship and a fair go. That, to me, is what 'ANZAC' conjures in my mind.
These days we try not to glorify war, all we ask is the simple recognition of the sacrifice, commitment and unselfish devotion by those young men and women who served so valiantly for their country and what they believed in, so much so that many knowingly went to their deaths.

Our youth have always come together in a crisis – individual desires and ambitions were put aside. I am sure, whatever some may think about our people of today, our youth are our future and we need to safeguard that investment. I say to you, do not let what we have forged through the ANZAC spirit be lost to indifference or a lack of responsibility. On the other hand, we as parents and community leaders, need to give you the direction and advice that will prepare you for the future.

The fundamental purpose of today has been, and should continue to be, to pay homage to our veterans and those who gave their lives. In doing so, we ensure a recognition by our youth that peace and freedom have always required a sacrifice in the past. Those we honour have left to Australia a tradition of courage, selflessness and a fine reputation to follow for the future. I have enjoyed the opportunity to be with you today and consider it a real honour to make this ANZAC day address.

General public 4

Time dims the memory of ordinary events, but not great events. In a nation's history, great events - whether in peace or war - live in our memories regardless of time. They are deemed great not necessarily for what they achieve, nor for whether they are reckoned to be victories or successes.

Rather, the great events are distinguished by the quality of the human endeavour they call upon, by the examples they create for ordinary men and women, and by the legends they inspire.

So it is with ANZAC day

On 25th April 1915, 16000 New Zealanders and Australians surged ashore at the foot of rugged cliffs on the Dardanelles peninsula, in turkey, to open a campaign intended to give allied shipping access to the black sea, bring help to Russia, and perhaps force Turkey out of the war.

It was - historians say - an ill-conceived campaign in pursuit of a vague objective, premised on an under-estimation of the military prowess and character of the Turkish soldiers, and of the tactical advantages they held.

But the cream of the New Zealand and Australian armies - volunteers all - committed themselves with no hesitation about the nobility of their cause, and fought with great courage, skill and audacity.

In the eight months which followed their first landing, some 50,000 ANZACs were committed to the battlefront, alongside 36,000 British, French and Indian comrades. When the last of them was withdrawn as winter set in, more than 11,000 New Zealanders and Australians lay dead, and with them many more allied and Turkish soldiers.

Gallipoli was a tactical defeat, but the New Zealanders and the Australians' withdrawal was a sort of tactical victory before the enemy realised what had happened.

But the achievements of the ANZACs were to be measured other than on the battlefield. It was not just that New Zealanders and Australians were serving overseas in the name of their fledgling nations for the first time.

By their commitment, their courage and their comradeship, the ANZACs set standards that inspired their countrymen for generations to come. The legends they established gave fresh voice to new feelings of national pride in both young nations, and the news of their suffering, on reaching the homes of anxiously awaiting families, brought people together in ways they had not known before.

For New Zealanders and Australians, ANZAC is our own day.

It is a day on which we mark the deeds of men and women who had come to see themselves as New Zealanders and Australians, and who were mourned by people who regarded themselves as New Zealanders and Australians.

The names on the public memorials existing on virtually all our towns and cities are important and regular reminders of the losses our nations felt in those darker days.

The first ANZACs indeed command and deserve the respect and remembrance of present and future generations of all New Zealanders and Australians, regardless of race, colour or creed.

On every 25th of April since 1915, New Zealanders and Australians at home and abroad have gathered to commemorate not just those ANZACs who died on that day, but every one of our service men and women who has died in war or as a result of it since then.

We remember on this day those who fell in both world wars, in conflicts in Korea, Malaya, Borneo, and Vietnam since then, and while on service with international peacekeeping forces wherever they were.

But it was Gallipoli which gave us pride, not in war, but in the knowledge that New Zealanders and Australians, put to the test, would not fail. That spirit and tradition sustained our forces in many later battles and trials, and in many ways, sustains us now.

And tradition is important. Suppose our troops had performed badly at Gallipoli, lost their nerve and their morale? How much more difficult would it have been for those who followed. The Gallipoli tradition laid down the rules and still helps us today to face new challenges.

Duty, patriotism, individual sacrifice, and the affirmation of the New Zealanders and Australian relationship are the enduring legacies of Gallipoli and all subsequent conflicts involving our two nations.

The men and women who forged the ANZAC spirit made sure that those who led them earned their respect. They all understood the values of independence, freedom and fairness and - above all - possessed a willingness to defend these things if need be. Because freedom only survives as long as people are willing to defend it.

That is the spirit ANZAC handed down to us. If we lose that ANZAC spirit, we lose all.

So here we stand today, along with thousands of others in cities and townships throughout New Zealand and Australia, to honour great men and women and a great tradition. We gather, as we shall always gather, not to glorify war, but to remind ourselves that we value who we are and the freedoms we possess, and to acknowledge the courage and sacrifice of those who contributed so much in shaping the identity of this proud nation.

General public 5

It is a great privilege for me to represent the Australian army and to give this years address. The theme for the address today is that we have an obligation to continue to 'fight on' in peace time, facing new challenges, in the same way our veterans faced adversity in many wars. Our servicemen and women fought in a belief that their various contributions would help to make a better world, and we should seek to honour their contributions by striving for our best in our daily lives.

I would like to recall the commitment and gallantry of an Australian soldier from world war 1 to amplify this theme. Although that campaign is now growing distant, we should never over look the courage and commitment of all Australians who have gone before us. The story of Alfred Shout is one I am sure will inspire you.

Alfred Shout volunteered for the 1st Australian Imperial Force in 1914, on the outbreak of war. He was posted to the 1st Battalion, and like many of those early volunteers – described as the cream of Australia's youth – he helped to create the ANZAC legend that did so much to bond the young nation of Australia. Lt Shout's unit landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, and he was awarded the military cross after courageous bayonet charges and deliberate exposure to enemy fire. He was badly wounded a few weeks later, but discharged himself from a hospital ship early, in order to get back to leading his platoon.

Some of the fiercest fighting in the Gallipoli campaign occurred in august 1915, with Australians – including LT Shout's men – seeking to take positions on the ridges at the neck and lone pine, as part of a desperate allied offensive. For those who saw the 1980's version of the movie Gallipoli, the final tragic scenes were based on these attacks. CAPT Shout's VC citation typifies this fighting: 'on the morning of Aug 9 1915, CAPT Shout and his men charged down the trenches strongly occupied by the enemy, and threw a number of bombs, killing eight and capturing the remainder. Later, from the position gained in the morning, he captured a further length of the trench under similar conditions and he continued to bomb the enemy at close range, until he was severely wounded, losing an eye and part of his arm. Despite these terrible injuries, he continued to proceed further, and had managed to light several more bombs when he was mortally wounded in the chest by enemy fire. He still continued to direct his men until he passed out, and he died the next day from his wounds'.

I discovered the story of CAPT Shout amongst the writings, from 1916, of a CPL Macqueen, who had also served on Gallipoli. He wrote of how all the survivors of the 1st Battalion had felt dearly the loss of a soldier, a leader and a gentleman. CPL Macqueen recalled in his writings that on the night before the attack Alfred Shout had cheered his men, saying 'we will make a name for Australia and ourselves tomorrow Mac'. CPL Macqueen wrote that over four days Alfred Shout certainly made a name for himself, 'as a LT on the day of the charge at lone pine, made a CAPT the next, earned his VC the next, and the next day he died'.

From that original 1st Battalion of 800 or so men, casualties by 1918 would total 700 – almost the whole unit. Australian casualties in WW1 totalled 59,000 dead, and 152,000 wounded. From a population of 5 million, that represents 1% killed. In WW2 we lost 32,000 dead and 100,000 wounded or POW. In conflicts since WW2 in Korea, Borneo and Vietnam there have been 2,000 killed overseas.

Why then is the story of CAPT Shout, and the casualty figures, relevant to us now? The theme I mentioned at the outset is worth recalling. We, the succeeding generations, have an eternal obligation to remember the efforts of women and men who have served Australia in war. We can honour their contributions by trying to live in the manner they would have expected from us. This is a challenge, as outlined in 1946 by a RAAF pilot, who had spent his school years in the Geelong area, by the name of John Gorton – later Australia's 24th PM.

When speaking at a service marking the first ANZAC day after WW2, Mr Gorton noted that 'the returned servicemen would seek us to secure advances for our community and our country – to reduce poverty, increase education and improve our spiritual standard of living; and for Australians to take their place in the world, not as a self-sufficient sealed off unit, but as a respected member of the international family'. He added that 'the foundation stones have been laid in war, so in peace we continue to build'.

Mr Gorton's words are most relevant today, as we face many new challenges, such as preserving our environment, assisting our fellow aboriginal Australians, and helping other nations to live peacefully. These are the areas in peace we can build on. So how do we do this as individuals? Our efforts may not seem much, but it is valuable to reflect on the practical issues that confront us daily, where you and I could contribute to a better Australia.
For example:

• Do we respect our community and our nation?
• Do we attend church.
• Do we work, not just for money, but to contribute?
• Do we play sport with a sporting attitude.
• Do we behave as leaders for our youth?
• Do we read, to learn from history and do we have a quest for excellence.

These are some ways that we can 'fight on', to be worthy of the wartime efforts that we commemorate today.

I can imagine standing on the beach at ANZAC cove, and later, walking along the neck and lone pine, seeing well kept graves marking the spots where Australians, such as CAPT Shout, rest today, thousands of miles from home and their grieving families.

Australian war graves can be found all over the world, from many wars. Sadly, as the years roll on, the efforts of our forefathers are less well known. I ask you, on ANZAC day, to remember the many Australians, including the veterans here with us today, who have fought the good fight for Australia. We must treasure ANZAC day as a special day, when we recall with pride the efforts of Australians to stand up together for worthwhile principles.

I also ask you to take up the challenge of peace in your own life, remembering the challenges of war faced by our returned servicemen and women. The many problems that face our world today require our commitment and perhaps there is a special challenge for you that appears insurmountable. On ANZAC day we should ask ourselves, how would the returned veteran, or CAPT Shout, expect us to face these challenges? If we can draw from the contributions of those who have gone before us, i suggest that the right course of action will emerge for us, and our veterans efforts will have been remembered in a practical way that would please them.

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