A MESSAGE FROM PRIME MINISTER TONY ABBOTT

IT was on a still spring night a century ago that the ships carrying the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps stole in towards the high coastline of the Gallipoli peninsula.

The first boat landed at a small cove surrounded by steep slopes shortly after four in the morning. One of the Anzacs who came ashore was Lieutenant John Charles Paul.

Lieutenant Paul was a son of Geelong. He was educated at Geelong College and a military cadet. He was a gifted rower and stroked the Barwon Rowing Club crews to several victories.

He landed on April 25, 1915 and was reported missing later that day. Three months on, he was confirmed killed in action.

Today marks the 100th anniversary of his death. His comrades would continue to fight at Gallipoli for eight long months.

Today we do not glorify war but rather honour the values the Anzacs embodied in the most trying of circumstances.

We acknowledge that the worst of times brought out the best in them — extraordinary courage, perseverance against all odds, and selflessness in doing their duty.

In a century of service, we have lost over 102,000 of our nation’s finest. Even now, our armed forces are on active duty in the Middle East and elsewhere risking their lives in the defence of our freedom and the universal decencies of mankind.

Today we honour the Australians who founded the Anzac legend and all those who have followed in their path.

We are the custodians of their legacy and we hope that in striving to emulate their values, we might rise to the challenges of our time as they did to theirs.