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This resource is designed to help students and families understand the largely forgotten spirituality that is at the basis of Anzac Day commemorations which are held each year on 25th April.

Purpose

This lesson highlights several Christian elements that are foundational to Anzac Day commemorations (including the bugle calls, Rising Sun Badge and flag ceremony). It promotes the Ode of Remembrance along with the “Greater love” saying of Christ and the patriotic song God Bless Australia.

Preparation

Get ready to play these YouTube video clips:

• The Last Post, The Rouse bugle calls and the Australian and New Zealand national anthems: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbsLeINIqWk
• The song “God Bless Australia”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htLn41erNSg

Print Commemorating Anzac Day.

Print the Anzac Day crossword and obtain safety pins and sprigs of rosemary. During the lesson (or at another time) Anzac biscuits may be baked.

Activity

Give each person a sprig of rosemary and a safety pin, so it may be worn near the left shoulder. Run the two videos to provide historic and contemporary reflections on the Anzac tradition. Recite the “Greater love” statement of Christ, using the time-honoured King James Bible version:

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13)

Invite everyone to repeat that quotation, in turn (emphasising the tongue’s placement for “hath”). Recite the Ode of Remembrance (dating from WWI), then repeat it with everyone echoing each line:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. Lest we forget.

Highlight aspects from the resource: Commemorating Anzac Day.

Have someone read this statement using a loud and authoritative voice, as a prelude to inviting everyone to tackle the crossword - using a pencil to write in capital letters for maximum neatness:

Anzac Day is held on 25th April to honour all our military personnel. Among them was John Simpson, who (with his donkey) rescued wounded soldiers at Gallipoli (a battlefield in Turkey), exemplifying the “Greater love” words of Christ, recorded in the Gospel of John (the Fourth Gospel). Australian soldiers carry a rifle with a bayonet, and wear the slouch hat (decorated by emu feathers) with upturned brim affixed by the Rising Sun Badge (with the Crown of King Edward the Confessor on which is the cross). Anzac Day is highlighted by the wearing of sprigs of rosemary (a herb associated with remembrance), enjoying Anzac biscuits and watching the clash of AFL traditional rivals Essendon and Collingwood.

Baking and sharing Anzac biscuits

Families, schools, Sunday School groups, youth groups and churches may enjoy making Anzac biscuits (that originally were called Soldiers’ Biscuits), perhaps using the following recipe from Wikipedia, that reproduces an original recipe provided by Bob Lawson, an ANZAC present at the Gallipoli landing.

Ingredients

• 1 cup each of plain flour, sugar, rolled oats, and coconut
• 4 oz (butter
• 1 tbls treacle (golden syrup)
• 2 tbls boiling water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate soda (add a little more water if mixture is too dry)

Method

• Grease a biscuit tray and pre-heat oven to 180°C.
• Combine the dry ingredients.
• Melt together the butter and golden syrup.
• Combine water and bicarbonate soda, and add to the butter mixture, mixing thoroughly.
• Drop teaspoons of the mixture onto the tray, allowing room between each for expansion.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden.
• Allow to cool on tray for a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks.

Makes about 35 biscuits.

A suggested Order of Proceedings for Anzac Day commemorations

Services at dawn [or mid-morning] traditionally commemorate Anzac Day using the following timings, depending on where the observers reside. These Dawn Service and mid-morning service timings relate to Adelaide, where the sun rises on Anzac Day at about 6:58 am:

6:30 [10:30] Lower the flag to "half - mast", followed by hymns, prayers and any reflection;
6:58 [10:58] Recite the Ode of Remembrance (with the last line echoed) as the sun rises;
6:59 [10:59] Play The Last Post bugle call - as the instruction to soldiers to sleep (at night or in death); 7:00 [11:00] Keep one minute of silence - denoting dead soldiers asleep;
7:01 [11:01] Play The Rouse bugle call, instructing soldiers to rise from sleep and death [raise the flag]; 7:02 [11:02] Quote the words "Lest we forget" (echoed by everyone present);
7:03 [11:03] Sing (or listen) to the playing of the National Anthems of Australia and New Zealand.

Sunrise times in Australian capital cities on Anzac Day 2020

The Order of Proceedings (above) can be adjusted to suit the timing of the sunrise Dawn service times depending on where you live.

See https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/australia