ANZAC Day at Home, Light up the dawn
With the cancellation of gatherings of people for ANZAC Day Memorial services this year, the Australian War Memorial, the RSL and other Ex Service Organisations are encouraging us all to still recognise this important day, by conducting your own private dawn service in your driveway this year from 0600 (6am on Saturday 25 April 2020).
Here’s a suggested order of service based on one sent to me from my local RSL together with some information I’ve added from the Australian War Memorial and appropriate music from the Department of Veterans Affairs. If you’re planning to use this order of service and included music links on your mobile phone, I suggest you give it a practice run beforehand at your driveway so you know your mobile data / wifi functions well at that location!
0600 Assemble
Family members assemble in the driveway with a lit candle (or torch, if a little windy). You can mention that this year is the 105th Anniversary of the Landing of Australian and NZ Troops at ANZAC Cove. Some quiet conversation between each other about the significance of the day, talking about and remembering someone in your family who served, some reflection on the freedoms that we enjoy because of their military service would be appropriate.
0605 Read The Ode
“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.”
0608 Play The Last Post (Click here to begin music)
0609 “We will now pause and stand in silence for one minute to remember the service and sacrifice of Australia’s servicemen and women, from all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. We remember those who served on Australian soil, and those who served abroad. We remember those who returned home and those who could not, and paid the ultimate sacrifice.” One minute’s silence.
0610 Play The Rouse (Click here to begin music)
0612 Play the Australian National Anthem (Click here to begin music)
0615 Play the New Zealand National Anthem (Click here to begin music)
Conclusion.
After the service, have ready the ingredients for your gunfire breakfast including:
• Bacon
• Eggs
• Sausages
• Rum for your Coffee and/or tea to toast the fallen
Share your Anzac Day
Upload a photo or video to social media with the hashtag #AnzacAtHome and encourage others to do the same.
Email your pics
I would love you to tag me in your post or email your photos to michael@michaelferguson.com and I’ll share them with the wider community on my sites through the day. Not everyone is able to commemorate the day with family around them, so it will be appreciated.
If you’re not able to go outside
Watch the national commemorative service live from the Australian War Memorial on ABC TV and iView from 5:00am on Saturday 25 April. The service will also be live streamed on the Australian War Memorial’s website, and on Facebook and YouTube. Click here for more information.
Our traditions
Read about the symbols of commemoration, including the Ode of Remembrance, The Last Post and the catafalque party. Click here for more information.
Lest we Forget.
Great idea. We’ll be doing this. Thanks
Congratulations Michael.
My wife served in Vietnam as a nurse and to this day says very little of her experience. I have always respected her privacy in this regard. She and lots of others should be remembered.
This is great! Thanks Michael.
Lest We Forget.
Lovely idea .. thank you. I’ll be participating.
Thank you. That is great.
Thank you, for giving us a format to follow on ANZAC morning. I will especially remember my Uncle, who paid the ultimate sacrifice, in WW 2.
Thank you Michael we will follow the service on our drive way.
As a returned soldier I very much appreciate your effort in these difficult times.
Again well thought out and contained within good current COVID19 boundaries! Thanks for this Michael. Regards Peter Fraser
Thank you sir, I have been looking for the service for days but no luck. I really appreciate your effort, thank you again. Regards John.
Thank you Michael, this is great! We will be doing this
Thank you Michael such a great way for everyone to remember our heroes..especially at this difficult time.
Excellent Michael – great job.
My Shine4thefrontline will be shining out over launceston from 6am for frontline heros from wars of years past. The ANZAC spirt is today inspirational for all on the frontline of today’s war right here in Launceston.
The rising sun will quench my light but nothing can quench the courage of the frontline heros
Thank you..Will be using this..
Very good Michael thanks. Congrats. We should always remember, in our daily lives, the sacrifices of our forebears, Military and Civilian. But especially the Military on this commemorative day.
What we are asked to do presently with this bit of a hiccup, (or virus), pales into insignificance when compared with the hardships these people endured in wartime to ensure our freedom.
Indeed. “LEST WE FORGET”.
Thanks so much for providing the music and ode .
Thank you so much Michael
We will be using this for our family
to commemorate this very special day
Thanks very much MichaelFrom Dave & Julie in Devonport Ex Launceston nearly 10 years since we left
Thankyou,
will be takeing part of Anzac Services in our drive
Fantastic, will be participating, thank you
Thank you, will be doing this.