ANZAC Day’s many customs and traditions

ANZAC Day services are rich in military protocol and tradition. And commemorative ceremonies, such as ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day, share many customs and traditions.

It is an extensive list, with most having a narrative, and includes: The Last Post, Laying of wreaths, The recitation (including The Ode of Remembrance), A period of silence, Red poppies, The Rouse and the Reveille, The unknown soldier, The Catafalque Party, The lone charger, The gun carriage, A Sprig of Rosemary, Rifle volleys and gun salutes, Poems, flags at half-mast and Gunfire Breakfast.

The Douglas Shire will remember the fallen at traditional ANZAC Day services in Mossman, Cow Bay and Port Douglas on Sunday 25 April. Details below.

The traditions of ANZAC Day

Rosemary has been associated with remembrance since ancient times, but its particular significance to ANZAC Day dates back to World War I. Native to the seaside regions of the Mediterranean, rosemary grows wild on the slopes of the Gallipoli Peninsula, where at dawn on 25 April 1915, Allied troops landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in Ottoman Turkey and the ensuing battle cost the Allies 187,959 killed and wounded and the Turks 161,828 in this failed campaign.

Tradition has it that a wounded Digger brought home a small rosemary bush from ANZAC Cove, which was planted in the grounds of the Army Hospital at Keswick, South Australia. Cuttings from this original plant were taken and propagated in nurseries all over Australia, and sprigs of rosemary are worn to this day by attendees at ANZAC Day ceremonies as a fragrant reminder of the fallen.

The catafalque party involves four members of the Defence Force taking up position around the cenotaph or shrine, standing with their heads bowed and their weapons reversed. This is a mark of respect for the fallen until the end of the service.

The Last Post is traditionally the bugle call that signals the end of the working day, but it has been adopted in commemorative services to herald the service people who have gone to their final rest.

At Dawn Services, the minute’s silence is broken by the Reveille – traditionally, the first call of the day to wake sleeping soldiers.

In what can only be described as poignant, The Ode of Remembrance, from For the Fallen, and written by English poet Laurence Binyon, has become a central part of ANZAC ceremonies since 1921.

The fourth stanza encapsulates Australia’s collective sense of respect and loss for the service people who gave their lives during World War I, and in all conflicts since:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Local RSL branches may host a gunfire breakfast following the service. Rather than artillery, ‘gunfire’ refers to the rum-laced coffee or tea that is served alongside the bacon and eggs, and harks back to the measure of liquid courage that was served up at the beginning of the day to help soldiers face the coming battle.

Douglas Shire ANZAC Day services:

Mossman

The 106th Anniversary of the Anzac’s landing at Gallipoli will start with a dawn service at the Mossman Cenotaph on Front St at 5.15am, with official proceedings from 5.25am.

Dignitaries from the Mossman RSL, the clergy and Douglas Shire Council will be present.

Cow Bay

People will meet at My Pathways car park (1475 Cape Tribulation Road) at 5:15am and march to the Cow Bay Cenotaph. A gunfire breakfast will follow at the Crocodylus.

Port Douglas

In Port Douglas, people will meet at Port Village in Macrossan Street from 10am and begin the march towards the cenotaph at 10:15 am.

Official proceedings then commence at the cenotaph in ANZAC Park at 10:30 am.