For the veterans in particular who serviced , it is a special day for them beginning with dawn services with the sounding of The Last Post not just around Australia but also abroad for example in Gallipoli.
It is unfortunate that due to the increase in terrorist attacks around the world security at this annual day of events has had to be heightened with bag and security checks as well as concrete barricades fences even intelligence involvement and eagle eyed armed guards stationed around and above to protect the thousands of people gathered at dawn services followed by the parades.
After the parades, it is usually a lunch a drink and a game of two up at the local pub cafe restaurant or RSL club. Rum and milk and the traditional ANZAC biscuit on offer for the day - these of which is believed sustained the troops during time of war.
The were 2 notable news worthy "sniplets" this year relating to ANZAC day.
One was about how fines are imposed for tampering with the original ANZAC biscuit recipe as this is trademarked/copyrighted. The addition of ingredients such as coconut to the ANZAC biscuit is OK , this ingredient was left out of the original recipe as coconut was difficult to obtain during war times however the addition of ingredients such as chocolate chips to the ANZAC day biscuit is an absolute No No. AND you cannot call an ANZAC biscuit anything except a biscuit - it is not a bikkie or a cookie. A company was asked to correct this when they tried to create an ANZAC Biscuit Ice Cream Creation previously.
The other was about an unfortunate typo on the banners that flew above ANZAC day "celebrations" this year at Canada Bay which was too late to correct. The banners were errected but read " Lest We Forgot" unfortunately instead of "Lest We Forget". It could have been worse and read just " We Forgot" or "We Forget".
Finally Prince William on behalf of his grandmother The Queen who recently had a birthday but too old to travel abroad for royal duties, makes a very brief visit to New Zealand to lay a wreath and attend ANZAC day remembrance before heading off to Christchurch to meet survivors and victims of the recent Mosques terrorist attacks.
I worked this year on ANZAC day but strict trading hours apply on ANZAC day . No retail stores open before 1 pm usually although some stores may open or trade earlier as a mark of respect.. Food and beverage establishments may differ. Where I worked we only traded from 1 pm to 4 pm that day which was not even worth it however these trading hours were compulsory for ALL retailers in the shopping centre a cording to Centre Management as advised in their regular news letter. They also recommended extending trading hours from 1 pm and 5 pm. Major supermarkets obviously opened and traded extended hours outside of the minimum 1 pm and 4 pm trading hours. It is also late night shopping on Thursdays although people don't really bother at this particular shopping centre.
The shopping centre does display a wreath during ANZAC day - photo attached
Lest We Forget - at least they have the spelling correct! To all our Diggers I hope you all have a great ANZAC day and thank you - because of you I have been fortunate never to have had to experience war.
No comments:
Post a Comment