ANZAC Day

This week we have Wednesday off work.  It is ANZAC Day in New Zealand which as far as we can tell is almost like Memorial Day in the states.  ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.  The day commemorates April 25th, 1916, the day Allied soldiers landed on the peninsula of the Gallipoli Islands during the First World War.  The Gallipoli campaign was a costly failure to the Allies and New Zealand with over one third of the New Zealand soldiers participating in the campaign losing their lives.  The day is always celebrated on April 25th no matter the day of the week.  On the Friday before ANZAC Day, the RSA sells paper poppies to wear on your shirt as a reminder of sacrifices made both past and present.  Poppies were the first flower that grew on the battlefield in Belgium during World War One and are a symbol of remembrance and hope.  I made a donation for a poppy outside of my building on Friday and choose one to wear out of the hundreds decorating the little park in front of my office. 

Poppies sold by the RSU volunteers

Poppy field outside our office on Friday