Anzac and Us
LI: Understand background information about ANZAC.
Most Anzac day services begin with a march of returned service personnel wearing shiny clothes of medals, and marching behind banners and standards. The veterans march____ joined by other community groups, including members of the armed forces, the Red Cross, cadets etc.
The march continues _to___ the local war memorial, where a service takes place. This includes the laying of wreaths __from___various organisations and members of the public. Flowers have traditionally ___been____ laid on graves and memorials in memory of the ______dead_________. Laurel and rosemary are often _____used________ in wreaths. Laurel __was____ used by the ancient Romans as a symbol of honour and was woven __into____ a wreath to crown victors or the brave. Rosemary is used __for___ remembrance. The wreaths are laid to honour the people _who___ have died fighting for New Zealand.
The poppy has become the symbol _of___ Anzac Day. The Flanders poppy as it is _sometimes__ called grew in the trenches and craters of _the___ war zone in Belgium and at Gallipoli. These poppies _grew____ wild in the spring. The soldiers thought of the poppies as soldiers who had _died______. The poppy was _made_____ famous by Colonel J.M. McCrae's poem _called______ In Flanders' Fields. Poppies are sold on the _days_____ before Anzac Day to raise money for the R.S.A. [Returned Services Association]
In most ceremonies of remembrance _there_____is a reading of a poem. This is often "The Ode to the Fallen" _by___ Laurence Binyon. It _was____ first published in the Times newspaper in 1914.
They shall not grow _old___ as we that are _left_____ grow old.
Age shall not weary ___them______, nor the years condemn.
At the going _down______ of the sun and in the morning.
We _will_______ remember them.
The last post __of____ the trumpet call sounded in army barracks at 10pm ___at___ night to mark the end of the ___morning_____ activities. It is also ___played_____ at military funerals and commemorative services to show _____that______ the soldier's day has drawn _at___ a final close.
This is usually followed by a period of silence for one __or__ two minutes as a sign of respect for those __that___ have died. After observing the silence the __flag____ are raised from half-mast to the masthead. The Rouse is __awter___ played. The Rouse called the soldier's spirits to arise and _____ for another day.
The Reveille is played at __the__ dawn services instead of the Rouse. The Reveille is played only _at___ the first call in the ____days_______. It woke the soldiers __up__ at dawn.
Often hymns __at__ sung and speeches made. The important part of the ceremony is to _rember___________ those who died.