Remembering

Today in my homeland we celebrate ANZAC day. It's a day of national pride and rememberance. Anzacs in our eyes are heroes.

Here's the info (thanks to wikipedia)

ANZAC Day - 25 April - marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as Anzacs, and the pride they soon took in that name endures to this day.
When war broke out in 1914, Australia had been a federal commonwealth for only thirteen years, and 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 to open the way to the Black Sea for the Allied navies. The plan was to capture Istanbul, capital of the Ottoman Empire and an ally of Germany. They landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold strike 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 and 2,700 New Zealand soldiers died. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which Australians remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war. Though the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives of capturing Constantinople and knocking Turkey out of the war, the Australian and New Zealand troops' actions during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as an "Anzac legend" became an important part of the national identity of both nations. This shaped the ways they viewed both their past and their future.

Here is some of an article that appeared in the Herald Sun today.

AUSTRALIANS at the Gallipoli dawn service were urged to use the Anzac values of endurance and courage to "shine light into the dark corners of the world".About 9000 people attended the solemn ceremony at Anzac Cove to mark the 92nd anniversary of the landing of troops for the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign of 1915.
There was heavy security, with Turkish commandos patrolling Gallipoli's World War I memorials following warnings of possible terrorist attacks.
But the warnings did little to deter the thousands of Australians who gathered in the pre-dawn gloom, many swathed in Australian flags or wearing green and gold T-shirts and beanies.
Defence Minister Brendan Nelson called on Australians to use the inherited legacy of the Anzacs. "The sun will soon pierce the night sky," Dr Nelson said.
"Let us as Australians shine that light into dark corners of the world as an outward-looking, compassionate and confident people imbued with the Anzac spirit of endurance, courage and selfless determination to help others." Dr Nelson was choked with emotion at the end of his speech. "Robert 'Mac' Calder, of the 14th Battalion, heard a voice calling from no man's land, 'Have you forgotten me, cobbers?'
"He didn't . . . We won't . . . We never will.
"We are young and -- we are free. Lest we forget."
For first-time pilgrims, it was an overwhelming experience.
"You look at the terrain up there, right?" said Dan Freeman, from Bendigo. "Then you just imagine coming up from here, out of the water and . . .
"I'm no good at this," he said, unable to go on.
Peter Robb has made the trip to Gallipoli every year since 2001, but still becomes emotional.
"You think of what those poor bastards had to put up with . . ." he said.
In the hours before the service, crowds gathered on the slopes around the ceremonial area to watch documentaries about the battlefield that gave birth to the Anzac legend.
Hours before the service began, Turkish air force fighter jets could be heard patrolling the Dardanelles in a show of force. And Turkish blue beret commandos armed with automatic weapons began taking up hidden positions in the ridges overlooking Anzac Cove and North Beach as a security screen was thrown up to protect the visitors.
The Turkish troops were occupying the same positions as their ancestors when they began repelling the Anzacs nearly a century ago.
It was just after 4.30am on April 25, 1915, that the first of 16,000 Anzacs splashed ashore on the first day of the disastrous 8 1/2 month campaign in which 8700 Australians were killed.

Talking of rememberance, it was one year ago on Monday that Nana died. It was really good to be around my family this last week. One numerous occassions we quoted and talked about Nana, and laughed at some of our manerisms that are they same. It wasn't intentional, it just happened. We all loved her so much, and still, though she's not physically with us any more, is very much a part of our lives.

Both what that Anzacs and my Nana did in their lives have had profound effects on my life. The Anzacs affected a nation, my Nana affected everyone who knew her.

Thanks. You will never be forgotten.