Happy ANZAC Day

[TLLK]

Wishing our Australian and New Zealand members and guests the best on this  day to remember your brave men and women who gave their lives for their nations.

From the Australia War Memorial at dawn on April 25, 2021. Service member plays the didgeridoo at the beginning of the memorial ceremony.

Anzac Day 2021 live updates: Dawn service held across the country; Perth and Peel Anzac services cancelled; Gallipoli deserted once again because of

New Zealand with a 108 year old WWII veteran from Christchurch.

Live updates: Anzac Day 2021 - Lest we forget | RNZ News

Clarence House sends its greetings to Australia and New Zealand.

https://twitter.com/ClarenceHouse/status/1386061190384730118?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

As Australia and New Zealand mark #AnzacDay
on Sunday, we pay tribute to all the men and women in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served and died in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.

[Curryong]

Anzac Day is usually a very bright and uplifting day (and I?m sure today will also be for all participants.) However it has been spoiled a bit this year by contrary advice given about ticketing for vets and their families by the Federal Govt.

Due to Covid and our slow rate of vaccinations (we still have very few cases in spite of a temporary lockdown in WA) the Feds earlier announced a balloting system for the Dawn Service and March, which apparently didn?t go down too well with many vets and resulted (here in Victoria anyway) in relatively few numbers taking it up. Faced with that the Govt then reversed its decision, leaving everybody confused.

Add to this the fact that the weather here in Victoria is foul at the moment, and I?ve a suspicion that this year?s ceremonies will be a bit of a washout, literally as well as figuratively. I will be attending a short local service but no Dawn Service for me this year I?m afraid.

This is a shame, as Anzac Day is the main day in which we can show our patriotism, really. It has faded a bit where the March is concerned as WW1 and WW2 vets have died off (their descendants march instead, wearing their hats and medals) but it?s still a vital part of our national life.

Also, every Anzac Day thousands of young Australians make the trek to Gallipoli in Turkey (the site of important operations by our WW1 diggers, many of whom are buried there,) but of course that?s off this year as it was last April. Local Turks are also mourning this as it impacts on the local businesses.

So, all in all, a bit disappointing, though the usual services and parades will go on today of course.

[TLLK]

@Curryong-I'm most sad for the vets especially those dwindling numbers of those who served in WWII who were unable to be there for the services and events. Likewise for the absence of young Australians who journey to Gallipoli each year until the pandemic and supported the local businesses.
Glad that you will attend at least one service to honor those brave men and women from Australia and New Zealand who gave their all.

An ANZAC biscuit recipe..I checked the author is originally from New Zealand and (gasp!!) uses METRICS for her baking!!! :thumbsup:
(Brings back memories of my school years when the Carter administration was determined to switch Americans off Imperial to Metrics.  :teehee: Guess it didn't happen so students get to learn about both. )

Anzac Biscuits - Cloudy Kitchen

Happy Saturday! I have another New Zealand (and Australian this time) classic to share with you today - Anzac biscuits! If you haven?t heard of or tried Anzac biscuits before, you are in for a treat. Anzac Biscuits are an Oat based biscuit (what we call cookies). They are a stir together situation so are quick to make, and are chewy and delicious. The recipe came about during the first World War, when people still at home would make biscuits from their ration packs to sell to raise money for the war effort, and the ingredient list originated from what was available - flour, rolled oats, sugar, butter, golden syrup, coconut, and baking soda. They are generally made around Anzac day, which is the 25th of April. This marks the day that the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (hence the name Anzac) landed at Gallipoli in 1914 and is a day of remembrance.

[Curryong]

Thanks TLLK! Anzac biscuits are indeed very nice when they are chewy. Unfortunately some home cooks seem to leave them in the oven just a bit too long, so they have the consistency of concrete (with syrup!)

I?m sure there?ll be more of a show with marches etc in other States that aren?t experiencing an early winter! Our Afghan vets are beginning to march each year which boosts up the numbers. Previously, except for our peace keeper vets (and the children that march with their great granddad?s medals and hat) the ?babies? were Vietnam vets of my generation, which was rather odd!

(Many didn?t march for years (some still don?t) due to bitterness over the way they were treated when they returned home to Aus. It wasn?t just protestors. When they tried to join RSL clubs (big social clubs for vets with restaurant and entertainment facilities all over the country) they were told by WW2 vets to ?B off. You didn?t fight in a REAL war!? The Australian Labor Party (not in govt at the time) was against us participating in the Vietnam War and there were huge divisions in the community.) 

[Curryong]

By the way, following our Anzac Day, which went off very well considering Covid and our weather, some words of warning from the dept of one of our govt ministers concerning China in this region, and ?the drums of war beating?. This rather startled me as our ministers and their Parliamentary Secretaries don?t usually speak quite so plainly.
However China has got into the habit of lecturing Australia over our stance in not allowing their influence to spread in this country. We?ve been punished with trade sanctions of course but the Aus Govt has been clear with the Chinese that we are not going to be bullied into submission in any way. China?s actions in this region and in Africa together with the Russia/China/Iran situation is definitely a worry for the world in the future however.

China Australia tensions: What is behind drums of war comments