Photo: Karen Earnshaw
KAREN EARNSHAW
The words “Lest We Forget” were spoken in ceremonies all around the globe on April 25, with some of the first being heard in the Marshall Islands due to its international clock status.
The phrase is a cornerstone of the hundreds of ANZAC Day dawn services held to commemorate all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peace-keeping operations.
Following tradition, this year’s ANZAC Day was held at the Royal Australian Navy Compound, Wallaby Downs, in Long Island. The Master of Ceremonies was the Australian Embassy’s Caroline Reid with a prayer by Rev. Rusiate Turaga and the official address by Australian Ambassador Paul Wilson.
The ceremony was blessed by rain before and after the main event, but not during the formalities. These included a stunning rendition by Loata Turaga of The Naval Hymn and, later, the national anthems of the Marshall Islands, New Zealand, and Australia.
A “Gunfire Breakfast” was then enjoyed by attendees, who gathered in groups on the damp lawn and under protective tents, some with a ritual shot of rum in their dark black coffee.