A day to honour those who served, and fell

One-hundred-and-eleven years ago, on the 25th of April, 16,000 Australians and New Zealanders landed on the beaches of what we now call Anzac Cove.

For many of them, this was their first time away from home, a chance for a great adventure.

By the next morning, 2000 of them had been killed or injured.

By the end of the Gallipoli campaign, over 8000 Australians had been killed and almost 18,000 injured.

Like many Australian families, my family has a deep personal connection with Gallipoli, as both my wife and I have relatives who fought there.

Cpl Charles Fenton Robinson, my grandfather, landed at Anzac Cove as part of the afternoon wave with the rest of 14 Bn. He would fight at Gallipoli until October, before going on to face the horrors of the Western Front. Despite being wounded, he would survive the war and return to his home and family.

Pte John William Best, my wife’s great-uncle, was less fortunate. Sadly, at just 18 years old, he would be among those killed in 1 Bn during the August Offensive. With no known grave, he is among the more than 4900 servicemen who died in the Anzac area, or were buried at sea off Gallipoli, commemorated by the Lone Pine Memorial.

Pte Best is one of over 103,000 Australians who have given their lives in service to our nation. Sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, partners and friends who never returned home.

Many more would suffer and sacrifice, and return home with scars and wounds – physical and mental – that would affect them long after their service.

Gallipoli stands tall in the Australian consciousness, alongside other names such as Villers-Bretonneux, Tobruk, Kokoda, the Coral Sea, Kapyong, Long Tan, Timor and Uruzgan.

And today, the men and women of the Australian Defence Force continue to serve and protect our nation, both at home and abroad.

They serve as peacekeepers in the Middle East, South Sudan and Korea. They are deployed on operations from the Indo Pacific to Europe. They support Australian communities during crises and natural disasters.

And importantly, they are the stewards of the long and proud legacy that was born on the beaches of Türkiye 111 years ago.

Anzac Day is a time for all Australians to come together and reflect upon the memory and sacrifice of all those who have served our nation.

Together, we honour them.

We remember them.

Lest we forget.