ANZAC ceremonies

Over the last three days I have been involved in four ANZAC ceremonies. The first being at school, that was a short ceremony lasting only 30 minutes but very moving and I think one of the most moving things about that was the fact that Years sevens eights and nine students were in the hall and there was complete silence from them during that time, about a thousand students and teachers. The last post always makes my chin quiver and I feel a tear in my eye.

Last night before the football, there was a ceremony on TV, they first lit a torch from the Eternal Flame at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne and took it on horseback to the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) where the game was being held. The six horses and riders entered the stadium in darkness, Ron Barassie took the torch and mounted the stairs to light the torch, it was again silent when the Last Post played. After the minutes silence, the big overhead lights gradually come up to show around 80,000 people. It was awesome.

Warren has been going to the dawn service at Bribie Island but our eldest son asked if they could do ANZAC together this year and so we travelled down there and accompanied them to Sunnybank. There was a parade through the streets with lots of school and other community groups, young and old marching. Then we went to the RSL ground for the official part which took about an hour. It was the first time that my medal had had an airing.

Warren has quite a few medals from his Military service and I have one.

My football team is playing t the moment they also play on ANZAC day and always against Essendon and they was another short ceremony before they started play, both national anthems were played.