Australians, New Zealanders celebrate holiday in Iraq

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

05.03.2007

Story by Spc. Derron Dickinson 

28th Public Affairs Detachment

Spc. D. A. Dickinson
28th Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq -- Australian and New Zealand service members celebrated Australian and New Zealand Army Corps Day at Camp Victory, Iraq, April 25.

The sunrise ceremony commemorated ANZAC Day, a day set aside for honoring fallen service members, said Australian Army Command Sgt. Maj. Mat Louden, Joint Task Force 633.

The custom honors veterans of the ANZAC landing on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey on April 25, 1915, where 8,700 soldiers losttheir lives and 25,000 more suffered injuries.

The attack was part of an operation to open the Dardanelles, Louden said.

ANZAC Day was first declared as a national holiday on April 25, 1916 by acting Prime Minister George Pearce.

"ANZEC Day will forever be a part of being an Australian, and the ANZAC spirit will forever be a part of our national identity" said Brigadier Michael Crane, commander of JTF 633 and a speaker at the ceremony.

"Every year at dawn we have an ANZAC Day ceremony," Louden said. "We have a dawn service followed by breakfast. Afterwards, there are games and activities."

Leading Seaman Dave Shand, a Royal Australian Navy supply specialist with Force Level Logistic Asset-B, volunteered to participate in the ceremony.

"There's a lot of pride," said Shand. "It's hard to put words to it – the way they fought and died on the shores of Gallipoli."

"It's a pretty special day. The fact that we're remembering our fallen soldiers and our fallen comrades," said Sapper Greg Brice, a carpenter with FLLA-B. "It's really good. It's a special day."

Brice pointed out that the ANZAC celebrations in Australia can be huge.

"It's a lot bigger at home, but it means a lot more here because we're actually on deployment," he said.

His fellow celebrants expressed similar feelings.

"There's nothing like doing it on an operation," said SIG Brett McCarthy, a signalman with FLLA-B who volunteered to assist with the ceremony. "I really enjoy it. I think it's a good thing to do, especially being (in Iraq)."

• Date Taken: 05.03.2007
• Date Posted: 05.03.2007 02:42
• Story ID: 10215
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ