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EVENTS
► The Australian national men's hockey team, the Kookaburras, played two "friendly" matches on 9 and 11 May against Belgium at the Herakles Hockey Centre in Lier as part of their pre-Olympic European Tour. They won both matches.
► ANZAC Day in Belgium, Wednesday 25 April 2012
Background
On 25 April, Australians and New Zealanders around the world gathered at memorial services to commemorate ANZAC Day, and remembered the sacrifice of those who lost their lives for our freedom.
ANZAC Day marks the landing of Australian and New Zealand forces – ANZACs - at Gallipoli on 25th April 1915. The ANZACs were determined to capture the peninsular from its Ottoman Turkish defenders. Eight months through their campaign, and after heavy fighting, these forces were evacuated. The cost was high; 26,111 Australian casualties, including over 8,000 deaths. The 25th of April was officially named ANZAC Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) and saw the first commemorative services to honour those who had fallen in 1916.
The following year in September 1917, Australian infantry divisions joined the Third Battle of Ypres/Ieper, part of the Passchendaele offensive in Belgium against the German army. The fighting was intense. Australian soldiers captured Broodseinde Ridge on 4 October 1917. Then it rained. In wretched conditions further attacks were carried out. Ground was taken, but not held. Causalties mounted at an appalling rate. The exhausted soldiers were finally relieved by Canadian forces in mid-November. In 113 days the five Australian divisions were fighting on the front, they suffered 49,390 casualities. More than 12,500 were killed or missing in action, of whom half have 'no known grave'. For more information on Australians on the Western Front and First World War battlefields, click here
ANZAC Day in Belgium
The Belgium cities of Zonnebeke, Ypres/Ieper and Comines-Warneton honoured the ANZACs who fought and died in the fields of Flanders with an extensive program of events on ANZAC Day. These events included a dawn service; commemoration services at Tyne Cot and Toronto Avenue cemeteries and the Menin Gate in Ypres/Ieper.
Australia’s Ambassador to Belgium, HE Dr Brendan Nelson, again led Australia's official delegation to these services (see below) and at the Dawn Service he gave an address.
ANZAC Day Program
06.00: Dawn Service at the Buttes New British Cemetery at Polygon Wood
07.00: Australian Embassy coach departs outside Embassy in Brussels for Zonnebeke (registration open to public from Thursday 29 March)
07.30: Breakfast - (hosted by the Mayor of Zonnebeke) and speeches
09.00: Wreath laying at Municipal War Memorial, Zonnebeke
09.35: Tyne Cot Cemetery Commemoration Service
11.10: Ypres/Ieper – Procession to the Menin Gate, followed by ANZAC Day and Last Post ceremonies
1135: Procession to Belgium War Memorial for wreath laying
12.00: Reception at Town Hall - (hosted by the Mayor of Ypres/Ieper)
16.00: Toronto Avenue Cemetery in Ploegsteert service
20.00: Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate, Ypres
►Photographs of ANZAC Day in Belgium - Wednesday, 25 April 2012