Huge crowd gathers for annual ANZAC Day dawn service in Singapore
Friday 25 April 2014
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Over 1000 people gathered at Kranji War Memorial Cemetery in Singapore on Friday morning for the ANZAC Day dawn service, marking the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.
The service commemorated the 99th anniversary of the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) landing at Gallipoli in 1915.
ANZAC Day goes beyond the anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli. April 25 is the day on which all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations are remembered.
Australian High Commissioner to Singapore, Mr Philip Green, made a speech. Read it HERE. Readings were delivered by New Zealand High Commissioner, Ms Bernadette Cavanagh, Turkish Ambassador Mr H. Taner Seben, and the director of the Changi Chapel and Museum, Mr A. Jeyathurai, who became the first Singaporean to address an ANZAC Day dawn service in Singapore.
The Gurkha contingent of the Singapore Police Force played ‘The Last Post’ and reveille, part of the ANZAC Day tradition.
Following the service, a ‘gunfire’ breakfast took place at the residence of the Australian High Commissioner. A 'gunfire' breakfast involves rum added to coffee, recalling the 'breakfast' taken by many soldiers before facing battle.
To find out more about the ANZAC Day tradition, visit http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/anzac/anzac-tradition/.