Over 20, 000 locals gathered at Coogee beach for the dawn service honouring the fallen ANZAC soldiers of the 104th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing.
As the crowds gathered at Coogee, silence grew with the anticipation of the words spoken to commemorate the dawn service tradition. Randwick city council worker Hayley Woodward said they expected a significant turnout.
“There was about 20 000 people in attendance of the dawn service last year so it is expected to be around that number again.”
The ANZAC dawn service has seen a growing number of participants in the past few years according to the Randwick City Council website.
The early Dawn Servicesaw the local schools perform songs and lay wreathes from a large stage that was first used by local council member Coogee-Randwick-Clovelly RSL sub-branch president, David Cohen who gave a welcoming speech.
Hector Abbott, whose grandfather served in the First World War and whose three uncles served in the Second World War said it was important to keep the spirit of the Dawn Service alive.
“It’s a spirit of mateship and spirit of caring and taking care of one another and that is something that we should continue to do as a nation always” he said.
The dawn service is an important part in the Australian history Woodward said
“It is a time to commemorate the soldiers that fought in the war and we come together to do this through respecting and remembering them.”
Like others in the crowd, Abbott wore the medals of his grandfather and his three uncles.
“It’s very important to remember the loses that have been suffered in order to give the freedoms that we currently enjoy and that is really vital because the world is still facing tyrants, masses of conflict and we need to be vigilante and grateful for the sacrifice that people have given us” he said.
For Further information check out the guide to 2019 ANZAC Day and the 2018 Coogee beach dawn service:
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