The Dawn Service

Sue, me and Holton at the ANZAC Square Eternal Flame Memorial.
Holton and I at the Eternal Flame.
Robert explaining the memorial to Holton.
The wreaths lain in honor of those soldiers that have given the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
The Dawn Service, nearly 4 thousand people attended the 0420 service on ANZAC Day. The Pre-Dawn Service has its origins in an operational routine which is still observed by the Australian Army today. During battle, the half-light of dawn was one of the most favored times for an attack. Soldiers in defensive positions were, therefore, woken up in the dark, before dawn, so by the time first light crept across the battlefield they were awake, alert and armed. This is known as "stand to" and is repeated at sunset.

After WWI, returned soldiers sought the comradeship they felt in those quiet, peaceful moments before dawn. With symbolic links to the dawn landing at Gallipoli, a dawn 'stand to' or ceremony became a common form of ANZAC rememberance during the 1920's. A typical ANZAC Day service contains the following features: introduction, hymn, prayer, an address, laying of the wreaths, recitation, playing of Last Post by the bagpipes or bugle, a period of silence, Reveille and the national anthem.