So as I said its ANZAC Day here in Canada, they don't actually celebrate it here officially but there was a service being held at the War Museum. We thought we would go and pay our respects, this would also be my first ANZAC Day services that I would attend.
Now I'm pretty useless when it comes to dates Xmas, New Years, My Grandads Birthday and my Birthday are the only dates I remember. So I always remember ANZAC Day on the day and just end up watching it on TV. However this year I have the walking holiday date rememberer with me in the form of a Kim. She has been reminding me of it the whole week even though I'm not sure of what actual day today is I do however know its ANZAC Day, Thanks Kim.
The Service itself was only about an hour long and luckily for me started at 8am and not dawn. It was a joint Service hosted by both the High Commissions of Australia and New Zealand and included a number of Canadian Officials and Ambassadors from Turkey, UK, France, India, Sri Lanka and Greece. The Ambassador from Turkey read a quote by Kemal Atatürk
"Those heroes that shed their blood
And lost their lives.
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side
Here in this country of ours.
You, the mothers,
Who sent their sons from far away countries
Wipe away your tears,
Your sons are now lying in our bosom
And are in peace
After having lost their lives on this land they have
Become our sons as well."
The Turkish Ambassador also laid a wreath after the High Commissioners of Australia and New Zealand and it made me think of how he must have felt. Even thou we are now friends and allies this day do remember a day where we were enemies and fought and killed each other.
The High Commissioner of Australia's son read a poem called 'In Flanders Field' which I can't remember if we do it in NZ too, however I liked it.
In Flanders fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
All in all we really enjoyed it and it was done really tastefully. Both me and Kim however thought that the Diplomats and Dignitaries should have had been welcomed by a Maori Haka. Oh well maybe next year.
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