Anzac Day 2015: Tens of thousands converge on Sydney for Anzac Day centenary 25 Apr 2015, An estimated 20,000 serving and ex-service personnel have taken part the march through the CBD, supported by thousands of people who lined the streets. This year marks 100 years since the first landings at Gallipoli, where more than 8,000 Australian soldiers died. The Governor of New South Wales, General David Hurley, led the march off from the cenotaph in Martin Place. Diggers who were unable to join the parade on foot were then taken down the route in taxis before the main parade. Victor Smith served in the Royal Australian Corps Transport in Vietnam. He said the number of people coming to watch the march was amazing. "I think it's marvellous, absolutely marvellous," Mr Smith said. "It's just the one day of the year when I meet my comrades and we meet and remember several people who didn't make it." Anzac Day is a chance for Don Newton to see some of the six men who he served with in Malaya from 1961 to 1962. He said Anzac Day was relevant to all past and current conflicts. "I think it's getting bigger," Mr Newton said. "It's lovely to see all the young ones coming and seeing what we did in that time away." Barbara Coward served in the Air Force in World War II. It is her first time marching and she said it was a poignant day. "It was the first time we united with the New Zealand people and became Anzacs," she said. Bill Skues, 91, has attended the Anzac Day commemorations every year since 1948. "It's good to see the young ones turning up," he said. "Years ago we never had any young ones around the place at all. "[I think] more news gets out, things are explained to them a bit better." While there are no surviving World War I diggers, they are being represented in the march by a military horse. Thousands gather for dawn service Earlier, up to 30,000 people gathered in Sydney's Martin Place for the dawn service commemorating the centenary of Anzac Day. Large projections depicting scenes from World War I lit up the buildings around the cenotaph as people gathered to hear readings and music marking 100 years since the landings at Gallipoli. Some regular Anzac Day attendees told the ABC today was the biggest turn-out they had ever seen. Dignitaries and guests from New Zealand and Turkey laid wreaths on the cenotaph. The wreath laying was led by the New South Wales Governor, General David Hurley, who highlighted the enduring ANZAC spirit. "To me the spirit of Anzac has three elements - when you give Australia job to do, we will give it our best shot, whatever the results, failure, or success," he said. "When we do this job you have asked of us, we will do it in a manner of which you will be proud. And while we're doing the job, we will look after our mates and especially look after them when all is done." General Hurley said the anniversary of World War I presented the opportunity to produce a revised Anzac legacy for a new generation of Australians. Families camp out to mark 100 years since Gallipoli A number of the people at the service said they felt it was especially important to attend this year. One man said he had commemorated every Anzac Day since he joined up to the Air Force in 1957. "I remember a lot of our friends who're not with us no more. It's one of the greatest things in a serviceman's life is remembering your mates, because we're all like family," he said. One woman said she had no problem with getting up so early to attend. "It's not suffering, what we undertake, it's just an honouring of the people who fell in war, not just at that particular war but over all time, the sacrifices people have made for Australia," she said. In the city's east, about 6,000 families, community groups and school children spent the night under the stars at the Camp Gallipoli event. The sleep-out was moved from Centennial Park to the Entertainment Quarter next door after torrential rain earlier this week. The camp aims to help children find a sense of national identity by understanding the qualities embodied by the Anzacs. East Lindfield Public School student Sasha Oaten lobbied her principal to organise a school excursion to the event. "I'm really interested in World War I and being here for the centenary is really special," she said. Sasha's mother Katherine Oaten said preparing for the camp encouraged her family to look deeper into its own history. "As a result of this camp, we've found that we have three descendants who were part of World War I," she said. "We found three medals in a drawer at home from my husband's grandfather that we didn't know we had. "Not only was he gassed during the war, he was knifed by one of the German soldiers, he was quite traumatised. "It's an emotional day for us." High school students from Catherine McAuley College entered an essay competition to secure a place at the event. Year Nine student Lucy Browne said her great-grandfather fought in World War I and she wanted to honour his legacy. "Mateship means standing together as one and supporting each other," she said. |
