ANZAC Day 2024 by the ocean

We often see the red poppy as a symbol of ANZAC Day. Why?

The poppy It is strongly linked with Armistice Day (11 November), but the poppy’s origin as a popular symbol of remembrance lies in the landscapes of the First World War. Poppies were a common sight, especially on the Western Front. They flourished in the soil churned up by the fighting and shelling.

The flower is the commemorative flower of remembrance of those who lost their lives or suffered in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

The dawn service at Coogee beach has its own unique feel to it with the sound of the waves crashing nearby. The cockatoos flocking to the nearby trees looking on inquisitively and then at dawn’s first light flying off en masse drowning out any music or talk on the stage. Not to mention the chorus of kookaburras taking centre stage over a moving speech.

The dawn service is held at a large reserve near the beach where veterans, soldiers and the public fill the space, and it’s still.

In the stillness before the dawn, we are reminded of ANZAC and the many other countries of the Commonwealth that landed on the beach at Gallipoli in April 1915.  These were volunteers many of whom were farmers fighting a war that was far away from their homes. They, however, gained respect from their enemy at that time, the Turks. That respect has endured to this day as there are ANZAC day celebrations at Gallipoli. It is always encouraging to see the serving soldiers, cadets are multicultural. The attending public are also multicultural and of all ages.

The ANZAC fought in many theatres including the Vietnam war. I was captivating to hear it sung only accompanied by an acoustic guitar and a harmonica.

Redgum’s lead vocalist-guitarist, John Schumann, wrote the song based on experiences he heard from veterans, particularly Mick Storen (his brother in-law) and Frankie Hunt. The land mine experiences in the story pertain to an incident during Operation Mundingburra on 21 July 1969 of which Storen experienced.

The song is a first-person account of a typical Australian soldier’s experience in the Vietnam War, from training at a military academy in Australia to first hand exposure to military operations and combat, and ultimately his return home disillusioned and suffering from both PTSD and, it is implied, the harmful effects of Agent Orange.

“And can you tell me, doctor, why I still can’t get to sleep?

And night time’s just a jungle dark and a barking M16?

And what’s this rash that comes and goes?

Can you tell me what it means?

God help me

I was only nineteen.”