Anzac Day Dawn Service 2010

The day started early. Well, it started four and a half hours before I awoke but I was out of bed at 0430 hours. Much the same time as the first landing at Anzac Cove at Gallipoli took place. I was much more comfortable in my surroundings though. Let's not forget that it wasn't only Australians and New Zealanders that landed in Gallipoli on April 25th 1915. During the campaign there were thousands of Brits, Frenchies, Senegalese (French West Africa), perhaps a few Belgians (possibly), Indians and Punjabis (British India). Probably some Sikhs also. I think that Canada may have had some troops involved too (could be wrong on this one). But I digress.

The roads were green lights pretty much all the way. I guess that that was to be expected so early in the morning. Mind you, there weren't too many parking spots near Kings Park and that was to be expected. Masses of people were in attendance. It was cool but cloud-free whereas rain is quite often received on Anzac Day. Somewhere between 45,000 and 50,000 people ventured to the State War Memorial for the dawn service and that was a record number.

Only one whinging kid nearby, thankfully. Concerning thing was one youth, all of about 20 years old, complete with a lower jaw line beard and back-to-front cap who was part of the official wreath laying ceremony. I mean, how disrespectful was his appearance? And it appeared that his mother was next to him. Perhaps his father was a fallen serviceman though so maybe I should be a little leniant.


The Last Post - played by a lone bugler at the Anzac Day Dawn Service in Kings Park, 2010.

I was on my way out of Kings Park when I thought about the fact that the trees lining the roads have been planted in memorial of approximately 10,000 fallen West Australian servicemen and women. I took a number of photos of the memorial plaques and that was more moving than the ceremony that I had just attended. These men were only just that and died in such disparate places on distant shores. And it is mainly their mothers who are named as having planted the tree. Take a moment to reflect what it would have meant to that soldier's family and what an affect it had on such a young country and a young colony.

Anzac Day Dawn Service in Kings Park, Perth, 2010 Photo Album on Facebook.