Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Mary's Anzac day

Mum walked up the hallway yelling, “Get up!  Get up!  Get up!” It was ANZAC day and we had to get up early because the ceremony was before dawn. We got up and put on some warm clothes because it was a very chilly morning.  When we were ready we went and got into the car and began to drive of towards Trafalgar Square in Nelson.

When we arrived at Trafalgar Square we stood in the car park in the dark watching all the old soldiers lining up for the parade.  Their shining medals, both gold and silver, proudly worn on their chests.  Some were young because they were marching in honour of their ancestors who had fought in the War.

Soon after we arrived I heard a shouted command.  The soldiers came to attention and began to march down the road towards ANZAC Park.  We followed the soldiers, one of whom was my Grandad, to the park.  When we arrived we found a place close to the stage so we could see everything.

We listened closely to the veterans speak about their time when they were overseas fighting the enemy.  Some of them read poems and some told stories.  After they had finished speaking a young girl, a teenager, sang the National Anthem and we all joined in.

As the National Anthem came to an end I jumped out of my skin when a huge explosion happened behind where we were standing.  A field gun had been fired in honour of the soldiers who had died in the War.  The noise frightened all the birds out of the trees, as well as frightening all the people who were not expecting it.  It gave me some idea of how noisy a battle must, and how frightening.

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