V is for Victory

Today is ANZAC Day. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. April 25 is a national holiday of commemoration to honour members of our Defence Forces who have served, and who are serving our country in the cause of peace. In particular we remember those who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

I am having a right royal time in the A to Z Blogging Challenge, complaining about things, with a couple of experimental exceptions, but today I cannot complain because I feel very grateful. I live in a great country: Australia, and it's great because of the ANZAC spirit which was immortalized on April 25, 1915 at Gallipoli. The Australia and New Zealand soldiers who landed at Gallipoli at dawn on that day, suffered a calamitous defeat. 8000 brave men died. The campaign was an unmitigated disaster, and had no impact at all upon the wider European conflict. However, it spawned the ANZAC legend which is now an intrinsic part of who we are, as Australians and New Zealanders.


We applaud their bravery, and honour their sacrifice on this day. The battle at Gallipoli was lost, but the war was won albeit at an unspeakably high cost. The ANZAC spirit symbolises victory over fear and tyranny. 

No, no complaints from me today. Just thanks. I especially want to mention my late grandad, Victor Rayner, who was a paratrooper in WWII, and my uncle, Alf Cairns, who fought in Vietnam, but to all who served and are serving...thank you.

Honour the fallen. Lest we forget.