Dawes Family in New Zealand

Anzac Day 2010

5am the alarm went off and for a change we were the ones waking Bethany up, we really wanted to go running into her room, slam the door open, jump onto the bed, rip the covers back and then put our cold feet on her back…but of course we refrained!

It was lovely this year to be part of the estimated 5000 people that stood along the darkened streets of Upper Hutt for this years Anzac Day Dawn Service. ANZAC Day is observed in New Zealand as a day of commemoration for those who died in the service of their country and to honour returned servicemen and women. 25th April is the anniversary of the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps at Gallipoli in 1915. On the first anniversary of that landing services were held throughout the country in remembrance of the 2,721 New Zealand soldiers who died during the eight-month Gallipoli Campaign. Since 1916 Anzac Day has evolved to the observance we know today.

Of course many other countries were affected too and we have Grandparents who suffered greatly at this time, we will never know what they went through and it breaks our hearts to think how scared they must have been for themselves and their family. Without them we wouldn’t be here today. Luckily both our Grandfathers came back from the war, and we were able to enjoy them through our childhood, however now more than anything we wish so much that they were still alive, as we have so many questions to ask and things to learn.

The below video is of the service which was about an hour long. I have tried to cut it down as much as possible, but didnt want to take too much away, so with just over 9 minutes of play make sure you turn up the volume and listen to (there isnt much to see in the dark!) the amazing heart wrenching, tearful tribute that was Anzac Day 2010.