ANZAC Day April 25th

It would be remiss of me not to write about ANZAC's 100th anniversary. With a husband that is Ex-US Navy, a cousin who is Ex- Australian Navy and a brother who is current Australian Army reserves. I am surrounded by family who have offered their lives to fighting war.

Hubby and I will be attending the dawn service held at 4.30am in the Shrine of Remembrance

It is a National Holiday in Australia which falls on the 25th April and is celebrated on that day. All over Australia at dawn there is a dawn service that is held at a cenotaph or leading to a cenotaph. 

This is a typical schedule of a Dawn service:

Schedule

4.30 am	Three 15-minute excerpts will be read from letters and diaries of Australians who experienced war firsthand
5.15 am	All will be quiet before the Dawn Service commences in darkness
5.30 am	Dawn Service commences
6.00 am (approx.)	Dawn Service concludes
6.15 am	Commemorative Area opens
8.00 am	Commemorative Area and Hall of Memory close

1. 'ANZAC' stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. On the 25th of April 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula.
2. Anzac Day is one of Australia’s most important national commemorative occasions. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.
3. Thousands lost their lives in the Gallipoli campaign: 87,000 Turks, 44,000 men from France and the British Empire, including 8500 Australians. To this day, Australia also marks the events of 25 April. Among the dead were 2779 New Zealanders, about a fifth of those who served on Gallipoli.

The tradition and our history can be found HERE.

The Spirit Lives on 

HERE is the New Zealand history

 This photo below was taken at the Felton annual markets with posters recruiting soldiers to the military.

I bought these books for hubby and myself to read.

The many books on Gallipoli.

A book for children about Gallipolli on the home front as well as the battlefield.

The landing at Gallipoli.

The ANZAC Story

I will be making a visit to the Australian War Memorial this year. When I lived in Canberra I used to go to the War Memorial and experience a sadness so didnt stay long, this year will be different, I will take it all in and remember all the sacrifices given by all including the men and women at war and the families left behind.

There is an ANZAC Biscuit made specially for this occasion.

Here is the recipe by the CWA Brisbane. CWA is a War Widows Guild. The story behind ANZAC biscuits was the women were concerned about the soldiers nutritional value. They needed to make something to send that would last. The answer was a biscuit with all the nutritional values possible. The basis was a Scottish recipe using rolled oats which helped counteract the extremely cold climate

Anzac Biscuits

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
125g (4oz) butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 tbsp boiling water

Heat oven to 150C or 300 F

Combine oats, sifted flour, sugar and coconut.
In a pan combine butter and golden syrup and stir over a gentle heat until melted.
mix soda with boiling water, add to melted butter mixture, stir into dry ingredients.
Take teaspoonfuls of mixture and place on lightly greased oven trays, allow room for spreading.
cook in slow oven (150C or 300F) for 20 minutes.
Loosen while still warm, then cool on trays.
Makes about 35.

I have never made Anzac Biscuits but will attempt it this year.
Hubby does not like coconut so I will make a batch without coconut.

I have a craft friend in Melbourne whose husband entered his/her Anzac biscuits recipe into the Melbourne Royal show and won first prize. HERE is the recipe

Here is a little important History about Australia

Anzac Badges we bought for Michael's collection