ashleigh powell / writer: April 2012

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Sydney ANZAC Parade

ANZAC Day is one of the most important national occasions in Australia. We celebrate and remember our ancestors who fought and died for our country. Without their sacrifice’s each and every one of us would not have the lives we have today.

After watching sunrise it was time for the Sydney ANZAC Parade. Last year, my grandfather became ill on the morning of ANZAC Day and was extremely disappointed as it was the first ANZAC Parade he had ever missed. This year the weather was perfect and nothing was stopping him.

I got the absolute honour to be with my grandfather in the Parade. This year unfortunately at age 88 he couldn’t walk the distance, so he got first class inside a jeep and I got a ride in the back.

It was a lovely experience, I am very fortunate that my grandfather is still alive today and that I had the opportunity to do it with him. But the most delightful and exciting part of being in the parade was the amount of people that lined George Street and Martin Place to celebrate and thank the veteran soldiers. So to whomever that was there thank you, because it meant the world to my grandfather to see all of you and the Australian flags waving.

Hope you all had a great ANZAC Day however you celebrated. These beautiful photographs were taken by Jessica Lindsay, and a couple shaky ones from me on the back.

L-R: My father (Gordon Powell), me, my grandfather Jack and my uncle John Prosser.

ANZAC Day - Sunrise at Bondi

After the dawn service, I scooted home and watched the sunrise from Bondi.

It was beautiful...

and I wasn't the only one watching ...

the sunrise....

ANZAC Dawn Service

To my grandfather, Edward Powell who fought on the frontline in WWII, and his beautiful wife, my grandmother Enid Powell, who diligently worked everyday during the war making parachutes for the soldiers. You both have now passed, but will never be forgotten and always remembered for the kindness and guidance you both forever displayed.

And, to my other grandfather John Prosser, you too fought on the frontline and thank you for being so strong and healthy every single day, as well as sharing the most traumatic time of your life. My nan, Rita Brown, you too are just as healthy, and thank you for also working everyday making batteries for the army supplies during the war.

This morning I went to the ANZAC dawn service, which commenced at 4:00am at The Cenotaph - Martin Place, Sydney.

My alarm went off at 3:00 am, most think this is an absolutely crazy time to be waking up, which I completely agree. As I was scooting into town at 3:30am, my body was freezing and asking what the hell I was doing at this early hour in the morning.

Well, I had never being to a dawn service before, and to be honest I never really thought about going to one until I started writing this book on my grandfather. As I was walking past St Mary’s cathedral, I wondered how many people would actually be here for the service. To my surprise, when I arrived at the top of Martin Place, I could see hundreds of people surrounding The Cenotaph.

When the official proceedings commenced at 4:30am I turned around, and Martin Place was absolutely full with thousands of people. I smiled for they too were doing the same as I was, paying respect to those soldiers who fought and died for Australia.

The ceremony was beautiful and very touching. At precisely 5:00am the minutes silence began. All the microphones and television screens were turned off, and there was not one word, thousands of people were collectively silent in the dark with not one whisper.

‘At this hour upon the 25^th day of April in 1915, ANZAC became one of the immortal names in history. We who are gathered here think of those who went out to the battlefields of all wars, but did not return. We feel them still near us in spirit. We wish to be worthy of their great sacrifice. Let us therefore once more dedicate ourselves to the ideals for which they died. As the dawn is even now about to pierce the night so let their memory inspire us to work for the coming new light into the dark places of the world”.

I was little disappointed that at 25, with all my grandparents fighting and contributing in WWII, that I never did the dawn service before. However, I realise how important it is now, and that this tradition should be continued and passed on to future generations. So once a year out of 365 days, I will be waking up at 3:00am for one of them.