ANZAC DAY

What does ANZAC stand for?
ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they took in that name endures to this day. Why is this day special to Australians? When war broke out in 1914, Australia had been a federal commonwealth for only 13 years. The new national government was eager to establish its reputation among the nations of the world. In 1915 Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula in order to open the Dardanelles to the allied navies. The ultimate objective was to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul in Turkey), the capital of the Ottoman Empire, an ally of Germany. The Australian and New Zealand forces landed on Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Ottoman Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold stroke to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915 the allied forces were evacuated, after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. Over 8,000 Australian soldiers had been killed. News of the landing on Gallipoli had made a profound impact on Australians at home, and 25 April soon became the day on which Australians remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in the war. Although the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives, the Australian and New Zealand actions during the campaign left us all a powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as the “ANZAC legend” became an important part of the identity of both nations, shaping the ways they viewed both their past and their future.

Early commemorations
The 25th of April was officially named ANZAC Day in 1916. It was marked by a wide variety of ceremonies and services in Australia, a march through London, and a sports day in the Australian camp in Egypt. In London over 2,000 Australian and New Zealand troops marched through the streets. A London newspaper headline dubbed them “the knights of Gallipoli”. Marches were held all over Australia; in the Sydney march, convoys of cars carried wounded soldiers from Gallipoli attended by nurses. For the remaining years of the war, ANZAC Day was used as an occasion for patriotic rallies and recruiting campaigns, and parades of serving members of the AIF were held in most cities. During the 1920s ANZAC Day became established as a national day of commemoration for the 60,000 Australians who had died during the war. In 1927, for the first time every state observed some form of public holiday on ANZAC Day. By the mid-1930s, all the rituals we now associate with the day – dawn vigils, marches, memorial services, reunions, two-up games – were firmly established as part of ANZAC Day culture. With the coming of the Second World War, ANZAC Day also served to commemorate the lives of Australians who died in that war. In subsequent years the meaning of the day has been further broadened to include Australians killed in all the military operations in which Australia has been involved. ANZAC Day was first commemorated at the Memorial in 1942. There were government orders prohibiting large public gatherings in case of a Japanese air attack, so it was a small occasion, with neither a march nor a memorial service. Since then, ANZAC Day has been commemorated at the Memorial every year.

What does it mean today?
Australians recognise 25 April as an occasion of national remembrance, which takes two forms. Commemorative services are held at dawn – the time of the original landing – across the nation. Later in the day, ex-servicemen and women meet to take part in marches through the major cities and in many smaller centres. Commemorative ceremonies are more formal and are held at war memorials around the country. In these ways, ANZAC Day is a time when Australians reflect on the many different meanings of war.

The Dawn Service
The Dawn Service observed on ANZAC Day has its origins in a military routine which is still followed by the Australian Army today. During battle, the half-light of dawn was one of the most favoured times for an attack. Soldiers in defensive positions were woken in the dark before dawn, so by the time first light crept across the battlefield they were awake, alert, and manning their weapons; this is still known as the “stand-to”. As dusk is equally favourable for attacks, the stand-to was repeated at sunset. After the First World War, returned soldiers sought the comradeship they had felt in those quiet, peaceful moments before dawn. A dawn stand-to, with its symbolic links to the dawn landing at Gallipoli, became a common form of ANZAC Day remembrance during the 1920s. The first official dawn service was held at the Sydney Cenotaph in 1927. Today dawn services include the presence of a chaplain, but not the presence of dignitaries such as the governor general. They were originally very simple and followed the military routine. In many cases, attendance at the dawn service was restricted to veterans, while the daytime ceremony was for families and other well-wishers. Before dawn, the gathered veterans would be ordered to “stand to” and two minutes' silence would follow. At the end of this time a lone bugler would play the Last Post and then conclude the service with Reveille, the bugler's call to wake up. In more recent times families and young people have been encouraged to take part in dawn services, and services in Australian capital cities have seen some of the largest turnouts ever. Reflecting this change, those services have become more elaborate, incorporating hymns, readings, pipers, and rifle volleys. Other services, though, have retained the simple format of the dawn stand-to, familiar to so many soldiers.

The ANZAC Day Ceremony At the Australian War Memorial
The ceremony takes place at 10.15 am in the presence of people such as the prime minister and the governor general. Each year the ceremony follows a pattern that is familiar to generations of Australians. A typical ANZAC Day ceremony may include the following features: an introduction, hymn, prayer, an address, laying of wreaths, a recitation, the Last Post, a period of silence, either the Rouse or the Reveille, and the national anthem. After the Memorial's ceremony, families often place red poppies beside the names of relatives on the Memorial's Roll of Honour, as they also do after Remembrance Day <> services.

Click here to learn more about Commenoration and Remembrance details at the AWM
Information above has been provided courtesy of the Australian War Memorial.

ANZAC DAY SYDNEY 2009

(left to right) MAJ John Straskye, MAJGEN Jeff Rosenfeld, COL Georgeina Whelan and COL Suresh Badami prior to Sydney ANZAC Day March.

(Left to Right) MAJGEN Jeff Rosenfeld (SGDHR), COL Suresh Badami (NSW Honorary Colonel) and WO2 Theo Dechaupfepie (Retd) (NSW President of the RAAMC Association) prepare to lead the RAAMC Contingement during the ANZAC Day March in Sydney

Operation ASTUTE

ADF contribution to provide security support to the Government of Timor-Leste and to the United Natons mission to maintain a stable environment.

Click Here to learn more about Operation ASTUTE

Operation CATALYST

Operation CATALYST was the ADF's contribution to the US-led Multinational Force effort to develop a secure and stable environment in Iraq and assist national recovery programs.

Click Here to learn more about Operation CATALYST

Past Operations

RAAMC UNTAC

3rd Row (L) To (R) Stephen "Otto" Davies, Anthony "Clarkie" Clark, Glen James, Glen "Muzza" Murray
2nd Row Tim Frolich, Tom Travers, Chris Musimetchi, Kelly Kendrick, Rob DeVries, Nick Hannay, Buck Rogers.
Front Row Speed McAndrew, Cameron Montieth, Peter Roessler, Anne Blundell (NSC), Tony Barnett.

Click Here to learn about past Operations.

PEACEKEEPERS

Australian Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Veterans' Association

The Australian Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Veterans' Association (APPVA), is a veteran non-profit organisation of profession of arms and services that encompasses all operations that have involved Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces Servicemen and Women, Federal and State Police, Philanthropic Organisations (Everyman's Welfare Service, Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc) and Defence Civilians.

Click Here to Visit the Peacekeepers Association Website

Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project

Click Here to visit the Peacekeepers Memorial Project

VIETNAM

The Vietnam Memorial AWM Canberra.

The Vietnam War was the longest major conflict in which Australians have been involved; it lasted ten years, from 1962 to 1972, and involved some 60,000 personnel. A limited initial commitment of just 30 military advisers grew to include a battalion in 1965 and finally, in 1966, a task force. Each of the three services was involved, but the dominant role was played by the Army.

Click Here to learn more about Australia's involvement in Vietnam.

2nd Field Ambulance "ON PARADE" In Vung Tau 1966.

The 2nd Field Ambulance was the first RAAMC Unit to be deployed since WW11. The Unit was Commanded by LTCOL Bill Rogers who was later to become the Surgeon General. The Unit's medical capability was supplied exclusively by the RAAMC (No RAANC were deployed).

ORDER BATTLE VIETNAM

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARMY MEDICAL CORPS (RAAMC)

1 Australian Field Hospital @ http://www.callsignvampire.org.au (13 November 1967 - 14 December 1971)

2 Field Ambulance @ http://www.2fieldambulance.com (1 April 1966 - 5 July 1967)

8 Field Ambulance @ http://www.carycorp.net/8fdamb (2 March 1967 - 12 March 1972)

Detachment 1 Field Medical/Dental Unit (20 November 1967 - 25 November 1971)

Detachment 1 Field Medical/Dental Equipment Detachment (20 November 1967 - 25 November 1971)

Detachment 1 Field Hygiene Company (5 December 1967 - 12 March 1972)

Veterans of 8 Field Ambulance

Veterans of 8 Field Ambulance proudly display the their Unit Flag at a recent reunion. 8 Field Ambulance replaced 2 Field Ambulance in 1967. 8 Field Ambulance redeployed to Nui Date on the arrival of 1 Australian Field Hospital who replaced them in Vung Tau.

COMBAT MEDICS

Infantry Combat Badge

CPL Brian Medcraft (2nd from right) 7 RAR 1970

Sometimes it is forgotten how the casualty gets to the the surgeon (medics in battalions refer to their wounded as casualties not patients). Medics posted to the strength a Battalion of the Royal Australaian Regiment were generally awarded the Infantry Combat Badge as their duty was deemed "indistinguishable" from the infantry soldiers they served with. This was done through personal submission to the Infantry Combat Badge Committee by the individual and the support of their Commanding Officer.

CPL John Straskye Delta Company 7 RAR

The Battle of Long Tan Powerpoint Presentation (Courtesy of Dave Sabben PLCOMD D Company 6 RAR 1966)

LCPL JOHN GILLESPIE

Ramp Ceremony LCPL John Gillespie

LCPL John Gillespie, a member of 8 Field Ambulance serving as a "DustOff" Medic, was the last member of the RAAMC Killed In Action. He was killed whilst trying to save a wounded Army of the Republic of South Vietnam Soldier in the Long Hai Mountains when his UH1 Helicopter was hit by a Viet Cong Rocket Propelled Grenade. His body was recovered in 2009 and repatriated to Australia.

Ramp Ceremony LCPL John Gillespie

Memorial at the Crash Site (photo by MAJ John Straskye)