Remembering ANZAC 100

Posted by Andrew on April 24, 2015

In this weeks Friday blog I wanted to take a slightly different approach and not talk about recruitment or HR. Tomorrow marks 100 years since ANZAC  troops first landed at Gallipoli. The ANZAC commemorations this year will, quite rightly, be very well attended around New Zealand, Australia and in Gallipoli itself.

In 2009 while still serving in the New Zealand Police, I had the privilege of serving overseas on deployment with the Police Mission to Afghanistan. Amongst the many enduring memories I have of my deployment, one of the most poignant was the ANZAC service at the NZ Provincial Reconstruction Team base in Bamiyan Province.  I had only been in Afghanistan for a week so it was all very new. We assembled at dawn – it had snowed overnight – and the Padre and Commanding Officer led us through a very moving ANZAC service. In the time after my deployment and the end of the mission, 10 NZ Defence Force staff were killed in Afghanistan.

This year, as we remember particularly those service personnel who served in World War 1 and at Gallipoli, we should also remember those who served and have given the ultimate sacrifice in conflicts since then, serving their country.

This morning I attended a dawn service at my son’s school, during which the song “Sons of Gallipoli” was sung. It concluded with this verse:

“We sang “God of Nations at thy feet”, as we stood on that sacred shore, with a heartfelt pride somewhere deep inside, for the Sons of Gallipoli.