Image TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage Tile
Image size: 6144x7680 Scale: 35% - PanoJS3
Page overview thumbnail

Article text

HOBART: FRI., APR. 25, 1930.
ANZAC DAY
Fifteen years ago the Australian Im-
perial Force landed on Gallipoli at a
place which later acquired the name
of Anzac from the fact that supplies
of all kinds for the. Australian and
New Zealand Army Corps were
branded A.N.Z.A.C. The story of
that landing has been, told hundreds
of times in books and" in newspapers
and thousands of times in speeches to
adult and to school audiences. It was
a brilliant episode, although no greater
courage or determination was shown on
that occasion than on countless other
occasions in the following 3¿ years of
war. But it was in a very particular
sense the fire baptism of Australia as
one of the great Commonwealth of
Nations which constitute the British
Empire. It is true that troops from
the various Australian States fought
for the Empire in the South African
War, but there were two very marked
differences. The South African War,
serious as it was, did not threaten the
existence of the British Empire, nor
could even the most exaggerated view
make it a challenge to the civilised
world. The second difference was
that the troops which went to the South
African War were sent by the separate
States, which were then called Colo-
nies, and which had not at that time
united in the Federation which now
represents the Australian nation. That
is why, to-day, the anniversary of that
landing is celebrated throughout Aus-
tralia rather than some one of those
anniversaries no less glorious, but
which had not the same national signi-
ficance. Recognition comes in a mes-
sage from His Majesty the King, who
speaks for his subjects throughout the
whole of the Empire who are represent-
ed in his sovereign person. It has
taken some years before a set form of
celebration has been developed. The
earlier celebrations took place before
the War was actually finished, and
even after the Armistice the recollec-
tion of the dead and the wounded, the
remembrance of the suffering of those
who. went, abroad,'and perhaps not.less
that of the loving and loved ones at
home, made anything in the nature of
rejoicing seem to be almost sacrilège.
Later, when the first fierce emotion
had passed, a great deal of considera-
tion was given, and many differing
opinions were offered. Gradually there
emerged a fairly consolidated opinion
that Anzac Day should be celebrated
no longer merely as a day of remem-
brance of those who gave their lives
for the Empire, but rather as a mental
and emotional monument to the great
principle of. rationality, which had
been consecrated by those sacrifices.
Although in the beginning many quite
thoughtful men, including some who
had acquired1 distinction in the War,
considered that it should be the great
public holiday of the year used for
some brief part for solemn ceremony,
but then left free for every kind of
amusement and joviality, the higher
opinion has prevailed. It is not to be,
and is not recognised as being, a day
of ' mourning' for the dead, although
that feature comes in as part of the
celebrations. But'the main principle
of Anzac Day is that it is a day of sol-
emn and sober rejoicing in that the
sacrifices which were made not only by
those who died, but by those who live,
have not been in vain. In one sense
Australia as a nation was born on the
first day of January, 1901, when at a
great ceremonial in Sydney the. pro-
clamation of Her Majesty Queen Vic-
toria was read, bringing into existence
the Commonwealth of Australia under
a Constitution approved by the people,
authorised by the Imperial Parliament,
and assented to by Her Majesty the
Queen. It might be said, perhaps to
use sacramental terms belonging tc
religion, that january 1,1901, was the
day of Baptism of the Commonwealtli
and the nation of Australia, and thal
April 25, 1915, was the day of Con-
firmation. On that great day. the sol
diers of Australia by their deeds
pledged Australia to a unity of spirit
and of effort with every other part of
the Empire, and to a loyalty expressed
in specific terms to His Majesty the
King, who in his own person holds not
only the sovereignty but the body of
Imperial union. So long as Australia
lasts that day and all it stands for will
remain in perpetual remembrance, and
long after all of the present genera-
tion have passed on there will still be
such solemn celebrations, and, we both
hope and believe, such real meaning
as will mark this present Anzac Day.
$