Gallipoli was not the first time that Australians had been in battle and it was by no means an outstanding success. Australians had previously fought in the Maori wars, had deployed to Sudan in 1885, and had fought again in the Boer war between 1899 and 1902. Gallipoli was not even an Australian battle, for we landed and fought alongside troops from New Zealand, Britain, France and Newfoundland. So why April 25?

What made Gallipoli different was that it was the first major battle we Australians fought as a nation. Soldiers from every state of the newly federated Australia volunteered and fought. What seared itself into our national soul was the sheer scale of casualties. Gallipoli lasted eight and one half months.

In that time 7600 Australians and 2500 New Zealanders were killed; 24,000 were wounded. Gallipoli was a battle we lost, and people still ask why we celebrate defeat. The answer is that in commemorating Anzac Day, we never set out to celebrate victory. Had we wanted to, we had plenty of other opportunities in our military heritage.

Anzac is not a battle, and Anzac is not a place. Anzac is a collective noun for a group of people. We think of those who served. We salute their fellowship and courage. We think of the families, those who stayed behind. We salute their endurance and strength. We think of the prisoners and wounded, those who still suffer today. Above all, on Anzac Day, we honour those who died for us, for our nation, and for peace.

In the face of adversity, the Anzacs demonstrated beyond any doubt the necessary military virtues of duty, courage, teamwork, resolution and self-sacrifice.

But to these they added a few unique qualities of their own; mateship, trust, a discipline based on earned respect and not assumed worth, initiative, resourcefulness, wry humour and, what is often forgotten, a respect for the courage and capability of friend and foe alike. The excellent and unique reputation surrounding Anzac survives even today in our armed forces.

We do not celebrate victory or glorify war. We celebrate the human spirit, the spirit of Anzac.

Lest We Forget.