Friday, April 25, 2008

ANZAC Day.

Once again we came to ANZAC Day, the day when we remember the landing of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, under British command on Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey on April 25th 1915.

The landing at Gallipoli was part of a campain to force Germany’s ally, Turkey out of World War One. Unfortunately that never happened and after 8 months of little progress and great loss of life on both sides, the ANZACs were evacuated in December of the same year.

Even though it was a defeat, it was a time when the ANZACs came of age as a fighting force, and that event has became a part of both nations common heritage. A time to look back on with pride. Not to dwell on the defeat there, but to honour and celebrate the courage, endurance and discipline, not to mention mateship of the two countries’ troops.

Even 83 years on, this day is a public Holiday in Australia, and remembered with Great pride. Sure some just use the Holiday without much regard to its origins, but rather than its importance dying out with the old soldiers, the event itself is becoming more and more imbedded in the youth of today, with many regarding a trip to Gallipoli on the day itself, as a right of Passage of sorts.

How do you look at your defeats? Do you tend to forget them and all the lessons learned from them, both the good and bad, or do you use the lessons learned from your mistakes, to build a better and brighter future on? Are you ashamed of your failed attempts or proud that you at least tried and gave it your best shot? (Sorry about the unintended pun there!) What say you?

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