Anzac Day - what it means to us as New Zealanders

Anzac Day is a special day both in New Zealand and Australia. Unfortunately the true history and significance of Anzac Day is becoming muddled and forgotten. Most kiwis can tell you that it has something to do with the First World War, New Zealand soldiers landing at Gallipoli, and poppies, but unfortunately many of the details have been lost along the way.

This article sheds some light on the true significance of Anzac Day, how it has evolved over time,

and what traditions and rituals are still apparent today.

What is Anzac Day?

Anzac Day is recognised on April 25th every year, and is a day for New Zealanders and Australians to remember men and women who have served and lost their lives in war. The original Anzac Day observances were largely for servicemen and their families, but it quickly became a day for all New Zealanders and Australians to remember and commemorate men and women who had lost their lives.

The term ANZAC is an acronym for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and was first used in World War 1.

Why is Anzac Day celebrated on April 25th?

Many people think April 25th is the day the ANZACS suffered great loss of life at Gallipoli, but the conflict and loss of life actually lasted several months. April 25th 1915 is in fact the day that New Zealand and Australian soldiers landed at Gallipoli as a part of the Allied Gallipoli Campaign – they were not evacuated until December of the same year.

Returned Servicemen were responsible for the very first Anzac Day on April 25th 1916 – the first anniversary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli. It was through their organisation and commitment that the day was officially recognised as a holy day by the government in 1922.

How is Anzac Day observed?

The large loss of life suffered at Gallipoli sparked the commemorative day, but over time Anzac Day has grown into a day where servicemen and women are remembered and honoured for fighting in wars right across the globe. While different cities and centres all have their own Anzac Day commemorations, there are many traditions and rituals which are standard throughout.

Dawn Parade

The Dawn Parade, or Dawn Service as it is sometimes called, is the most popular of the Anzac Day traditions. It begins with a parade by returned servicemen and women to the local war memorial, where they are met by family and other members of the community. Uniformed servicemen form a guard of honour around the memorial.

The dawn service is bought to an end with a lone bugler sounding the Last Post, and then the crowd observes a minute silence in memory of those who have passed away. The final act is that of a drum roll again, and the returned servicemen and women march away from the memorial.

While many people believe the dawn service is timed to coincide with ANZAC landing at Gallipoli, this is not strictly true. There were some Australian soldiers who landed just before dawn, but the first New Zealanders did not land until after 9am, and most landed in the afternoon. So while the dawn service has some timing significance, much of its importance comes as war veterans remember the routine dawn ‘stand-to’ before the engagement of war began.