Guernsey marks Anzac Day for the 10th time
ANZAC Day was marked in Guernsey for the 10th year yesterday.
Held at the memorial in Fort George, the service honoured and remembered armed forces from Australia and New Zealand who landed under fire in Gallipoli on 25 April 1915.
The campaign was intended to be a bold strike to capture Constantinople, now Istanbul, yet resulted in months of stalemate and nearly 11,500 fatalities from the Australasian countries.
Island dignitaries were joined by a sizeable crowd and local armed forces representatives.
‘For people who live in Australia and New Zealand, Anzac Day is one of the defining days of their national identity,’ said Guernsey's Dean the Very Rev. Tim Barker, who led the service.
‘There is a community of New Zealanders and Australians here in Guernsey – I’m married to one. It was suggested that the anniversary should be marked in Guernsey 10 years ago, from when Australian and New Zealand troops landed in Gallipoli in what is now modern Turkey.’
Australia exited the British colony’s dominion in 1901, followed by New Zealand in 1907.
When the First World War was declared in 1914, both countries sided with the Commonwealth automatically.
‘Their landing was probably one of the first military campaigns these new nations were involved in. It is a defining day in history with importance to the island. There is a good turnout here from ex-servicemen, including the inimitable Bob Place [Royal British Legion Guernsey president].’
New Zealander Jonathan Bates read from Ecclesiastes during the service, and said: ‘It is an extremely kind thing for us that the St Peter Port constables have been arranging this for years. For both my counterpart Andrea Harris, contributing on behalf of the Guernsey based Australian community, and me it is a very important day’
Marches are ordinarily held at dawn in Australia and New Zealand, but that did not happen last year due to Covid-19, although they went ahead yesterday either restriction-free, ticketed, or with controlled numbers, depending on region.
‘For me I feel it is particularly poignant during Covid, because when the troops came back the Spanish flu pandemic broke out, which is arguably because of the significant movement of troops during that time,’ Mr Bates said.
Miss Harris said: ‘It’s wonderful to be able to commemorate it today and to see such a good turnout. Normally in Australia or New Zealand we do a dawn service, but dawn at the moment in this part of the world is very early. It’s a big thing to go to the parade.’
Lt-Bailiff Hazel Marshall read words from President Ataturk of Turkey’s 1934 speech, which have been engraved on the memorial at Gallipoli.
New Zealander Cameron Craine said it is good that Guernsey marks the occasion.
‘We’ve come for it for the last few years,’ he said.
‘It’s a bit of a tradition back home to get up at dawn on the day. In any local town there are various dawn parades. It’s a big thing. I’m a permanent resident here, but if the borders open up I’m hoping to go back to visit in February.’
Both the Australian and the New Zealand national anthems were sung, then wreaths were laid by Lt-Governor Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder, Major Place and St Peter Port constable Zoe Lihou.
Mrs Lihou was pleased the event was so well attended and said next year the constables may arrange a choir.
‘It’s nice to acknowledge that we have quite a diverse community in Guernsey, and to do something for them,’ she said.
A minute’s silence was observed in between The Last Post and The Rouse, and In Flanders Field was read.
