Canberra: Remembering ANZACs at Australian War Memorial
ANZAC Day is held annually on the 25th of April to commemorate Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) from the First World War and ANZAC military personnel in subsequent service around the world.
The day also marks the 1915 anniversary when ANZAC troops landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. The attempted move did not end well for the ANZACs, as the Ottomans successfully repelled the invasion force. The land invasion stalled after eight months with subsequent withdrawal from Turkey to Egypt.
ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand has surpassed the commemoration of Remembrance Day held annually on the 11th of November in Commonwealth nations, including Canada and the United Kingdom.
In the Australian capital city of Canberra, the Australian War Memorial is a grand structure, housing an impressive collection of historical artifacts, collections, and documents, outlining and describing Australian action at home and overseas. One day or an afternoon makes for a great introduction, but multiple visits are required to plumb the depths of their extensive archives. At the end of every day, the War Memorial closes its doors with a farewell to visitors in the “Last Post” ceremony, beginning at 455pm local time.
ANZAC Parade, south to Capital Hill
Their Name Liveth For Evermore
South Pacific
Roll of Honour (Europe)
Poppies for the fallen
Honouring the dead
Roll of Honour, west
Roll of Honour, east
Unknown Australian, World War 1
Afternoon light
“Last Post”
“Bomber Command”, by Neil Dawson
The Australian War Memorial is open every day (except Christmas Day) between the hours of 10am and 5pm. There is no charge for admission.
I wrote previously about Poppies at the Australian War Memorial. I made the photos above with a Canon EOS450D/Rebel XSi on 6 September 2012 during my year-long RTW. This post appears on Fotoeins Fotografie at fotoeins DOT com as http://wp.me/p1BIdT-2r1.
Fotoeins Fotografie 
11 Responses to “Canberra: Remembering ANZACs at Australian War Memorial”
Interesting
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for stopping by!
LikeLike
Great photos- I love the poppies!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Hannah! 🙂 Have you visited Canberra and/or the Australia War Memorial?
LikeLike
Haven’t gotten to that side of the world yet but it’s on the list! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi, Hannah. Please do give Canberra a chance if and when you’re in Australia. It’s a lot quieter than one might expect in a city of that size, but its museums and green spaces are beautiful. Because Canberra isn’t all that far from the big Sydney metropolis, Canberra might offer a quieter spot to “pause and recollect”, while still being able to have the usual amenities in a city, particularly for the National Capital region. Cheers!
LikeLike
Lovely photos, Henry! Love the red flowers- they definitely add a nice touch to a monument which can ordinarily feel sterile.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi and thank you, Christine. The poppies are very expressive in their look and colour, especially compelling at war memorials. You’ve brought up an interesting question about the thinking that goes into building “traditional” (war) memorials, how they might look uninviting and sterile, and the things one might do to make the memorials more inviting to visit. While “remembering the dead” is the primary goal, perhaps, there’s something even more to get people to visit: the history and culture of a nation’s people. Thanks again for reading and for your kind comments, Christine!
LikeLike
Hi Henry thanks for posting about a place and piece of history so dear to we Australians. There are war memorials all over Australia, even in the tiniest of villages. The national one in Canberra is, of course, the largest and most comprehensive. Our ANZAC history is very much a part of our psyche and cultural identity, and the War Memorial is a true expression of that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi, Jo. I’m fascinated by the (possible) parallels between the importance Australia and New Zealand have defined themselves by the events at Gallipoli and how Canadians carried themselves in the Belgian trenches: all because people answered the Empire’s call to arms. Thanks for reading and for your comment!
LikeLike
[…] Canberra, opposite the main entrance to the Australia War Memorial at the southwest corner of Fairbairn Avenue and ANZAC Parade is the Atatürk Memorial Garden, […]
LikeLike