Teach the kids why today is so special to Aussies

THE ODE

Every year on Anzac Day, one of the most moving moments of the Dawn Service is the reciting of The Ode.

In the stillness of the early morning, the words ring out and remind us of the great sacrifice so many men and women of the armed forces have made for their country to keep our nation safe for the past century.

The Ode is the fourth stanza from the poem For the Fallen, which was written by the English poet and writer Laurence Binyon in the early days of World War I.

The full poem was first published in London in 1914, but The Ode extract has been used by the Returned Services League (RSL) for commemoration services in Australia since 1921.

The Ode talks about those who died in conflict, and reminds us that they didn’t return to their families or have the opportunity to continue their lives into old age in Australia.

It is also a promise to them, from the Australian people, that we will never forget their sacrifice and will continue to honour them.

It is always followed by a minute’s silence.

THE LAST POST

In military tradition, the Last Post is the bugle call that signifies the end of the day’s activities.

It is also sounded at military funerals to indicate that the soldier has gone to his final resting place, and is used at commemorative services such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.

The Last Post is one of a number of bugle calls in military tradition that mark the phases of the day. While Reveille signals the start of a soldier’s day, the Last Post signals its end.

It gets its name from the actions of the duty officer who moved around his unit’s position in the evening checking that the security posts were manned, and then sending the off-duty soldiers to their beds.

The first bugle call was sounded when the duty officer started his rounds, while a final bugle call indicated the completion of these rounds — when the last post was reached.

RED POPPIES

The Red Poppy — often described as the Flanders Poppy — has special significance for Australians.

Worn on Remembrance Day (November 11) and Anzac Day each year, the red poppies were among the first to flower in the battlefields at Flanders in Belgium and in northern France in World War I.

In soldiers’ folklore, the vivid red of the poppy came from the blood of their comrades soaking the ground.

In England in 1919, the British Legion wanted to find an emblem that would honour the dead and help the living. The Red Poppy was adopted as that emblem and has since been accepted as the Emblem of Remembrance.

The RSL in Australia adopted the idea in 1921.

ROSEMARY

This herb is traditionally worn on Anzac Day, and sometimes on Remembrance Day. Rosemary has particular significance for Australians as it is found growing wild on the Gallipoli peninsula in modern-day Turkey where the Anzac battle took place on April 25, 1915 during World War I.

It is usually pinned to the lapels and collars of servicemen and school children. It is unclear when this tradition began in Australia.

RISING SUN BADGE

Proudly worn by soldiers of the 1st and 2nd Australian Imperial Force in both World Wars, the Rising Sun badge has become an integral part of the Anzac Day tradition. The distinctive shape of the badge, worn on the upturned side of a slouch hat, is commonly identified with the spirit of Anzac.

There are seven different patterns of the Rising Sun as it has evolved over time. Today, Australian Army soldiers wear the 7th pattern Rising Sun.