2022 ANZAC Dawn Service - City

I originally planned to rise at 3 but later decidd on 2:45.

The eventual schedule was:

2:45 rise and dress

3:00 arr Corinda station.  No one here. Concern?  Added value to go card.

3:16 train due. Waiting but no one else on platform?

3:45 walking from Central station. I walked out the SE exit and down Edward then left into Adelaide and left into the square. 

4:00 I'm in Anzac square

Initially Down on pre pandemic numbers. Packed by the time the service started.

I think this is the first dawn service for 2 years.

Quite a lot of young people. 

There's a bunch of churchie boys identifiable by their hats and some girl guides. 

4:25 and the square is packed

4:28 Service starts

ANZAC Dawn service is a reminder of the sacrifice service people have made through wars past. The agony of loss to their families and friends, unimaginable. 

 

I mused that though the thought of war is abhorrent, Putins invasion of Ukraine reminds us we need a strong self sufficient military to ensure we can remain free.

 

Near the end, we stumbled our way through the national anthem. The second verse, which is rarely sung, struck a chord. If our soldiers have sacrificed so much to keep us free. To give us the luxury of being able to sit and consider. Then an issue of great concern to me is the continued detention of the refugees at Banyo and that Biloela family still stuck on Christmas Island. To me the time in detention is immoral.

 

V2 if the national anthem:

"who've come across the sea,

Boundless Plains to share"

 

Sounds a lot like an ode to boat people. 

 

Now I totally believe that we need to be in control of our own borders but we need to have a moral compass that considers the human effects. Years of detention is just plane wrong.

Walking out from Central.  Big army trucks to stop a ram raid.

The crowd grew until the Anzac square was packed.

Second verse of the national anthem....

It's a new thing all these barriers.  A capitulation to fear in my view.

I think we should ditch the barriers.

After the service I strolled around the city on my own.  A reflection of my life atm.  A empty loneliness.  I remember walking through here as a kid at school.  A lot different then.