ANZAC Day 25th April 2008 “Lest We Forget”

Yesterday was Anzac Day.
The day all New Zealanders and Australians remember those brave young me who fought for our freedom.
ANZAC was the name given to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps soldiers who landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey early on the morning of 25 April 1915 during the First World War (1914-1918)

When I was young we really weren’t very interested in celebrating Anzac Day it was just another public holiday. Those Returned Servicemen were a bit boring really short back and sides hairstyles and generally disapproving of us the teenagers who juts wanted to make love not war.
The war was really all a bit gung ho…all great adventure stories. Movies from the 50’s and early 60’s were of great courage and handsome heroes, Escaping from Colditz, Dam Busting, climbing up frightening cliffs in the Guns of Navarone.
We didn’t have a clue how horrible it really was.
Slowly the movies changed and the truth started to come out.
Memoirs were written which didn’t glorify war but embraced the horrors of war.
Thankfully the Remembrance Day has grown in stature as the years have progressed.
As the veterans decline in numbers thousands of young New Zealanders get up early in the morning to watch the dawn parade.
The Auckland service is held at the Cenotaph in the Auckland Domain and it is very moving. This year we didn’t go to the service but I watched it on television.
As it was winding down the sun rose. Here it is…the same sunrise from our lounge.

It was a stunning sight. It must have been magnificent at the Domain. Thousands of people throughout New Zealand and Australia,
London and of course Gallipoli attended the services.
My father served in both World Wars.
For the British in WWI and for New Zealand in WWII.
He was injured in North Africa and sent home in 1942.
It’s a time for us to remember him.
Our son Daniel has been frequenting the Dawn Parade for several years proudly wearing his medals.
And also substituting for him at the RSA having a few beers with the veterans.
So of course later on in the day we felt the need to celebrate, and went out for lunch at our favourite local Italian Restaurant Portofino.
After many wines we walked across the road and joined in with the locals.

There was a band Our crowd substituting for backing singers.
Locals dancing
Unfortunately the RSA is lacking in a bit of style, but what they lacked in style was made up in enthusiasm.
Everyone was having an excellent time.
I had a glass of probably the worst wine I have seen in years.
Bright yellow looking like, and tasting like, an unmentionable substance.
The bar snacks were interesting
Jelly Babies.
So, on this note I felt I had to continue to celebrate the day with a batch of Anzac Biscuits.
The legend goes that these were sent to serving Anzacs during WWI due their keeping properties.
They really are superb and you won’t need to check out their keeping properties as they never last.

Ingredients
1 cup (150g) plain flour
1 cup (90g) rolled oats
1 cup (85g) Ward McKenzie desiccated coconut
¾ cup (155g) brown sugar
125g butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoons water

Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the oats, coconut and brown sugar.
Put the butter, golden syrup and 2 tbs water in a small saucepan.
Stir over a medium heat until melted.
Stir in the bicarbonate of soda.
Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined.

Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls.
Place on the trays, about 5cm apart.
Press with a fork to flatten slightly.
Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Set aside on the trays for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack so it cools completely.