April 25th, Anzac Day, is the day when Australia commemorates those who served in conflict. It’s a day which has not always been without controversy. Through the 60s and 70s, during the height of opposition to the Vietnam War, there was a widespread perception that it glorified war. That view has largely waned, and it is now seen more as a celebration of national identity as well as a way to remember and honor those who fell and those who returned.
However you feel about Anzac Day, those who fought the battles were everyday men and women. They lived and loved like any other, and given a choice between being at home or being at war, few would choose war. For those who returned, Anzac day is a chance to reconnect with those who shared the experience, to remember the good times and the bad, and be glad they found their way home.
