It's likely to rain as Australians pay their respects on Monday. Anzac Day has become perhaps the most hallowed secular day on the nation's calendar, a moment to pause for those who sacrificed so much in the days of empire and worldwide warfare. With events in Ukraine, those days feel closer than ever for many.
In Saturday's Weekender Alex Pichaloff explored the ramifications of that modern fight for the Hunter's Ukrainian diaspora. It is an understatement to say those relatively untouched directly by consequences of Russia's aggression should be grateful.
In every fight, there are soldiers. The scale of brutality can obscure their identities for a time, but their deeds can echo through history. What cannot be lost in Anzac commemorations is that it is a day of sorrow, of mourning the lost innocence of so many far too soon, rather than a celebration of war.
RSL NSW president Ray James perhaps said it best while weighing up the prospect of marching alongside Alf Carpenter, pictured, who turned 105 on Friday. Mr Carpenter is believed to be Australia's eldest surviving digger. "The Anzac Spirit is still burning inside of Alf, and I am proud to march alongside him this Anzac Day," he said. "But for the service and sacrifice of Alf and thousands of other men and women who served in our armed forces, and those of the Allied forces, the Australian people would not have been protected from the battles of World War II reaching our shores."
Sacrifice, albeit on a far less severe scale for most of us, has dominated lives during the COVID pandemic. With the Nobbys dawn service due to return in earnest after an invitation-only event last year, many will hope that gathering en masse to show those who have survived so much our esteem for them can once again become the norm.
That said, the virus is not gone. The Hunter continues to rack up cases and deaths, with old age identified daily by NSW Health as a significant risk factor associated with the virus. For Alf and those of his elite pedigree, it is crucial that anyone with concerns they may spread the virus to these vulnerable Diggers steer well clear. If not out of caution, do it out of respect.
Whether it is in the silence of the Nobbys waves at dawn, or the roar of a crowd in two-up as the day wears on, the watchword must be respect. Respect for those who have served; for those who did not come home; for those who are vulnerable today, and for those around us. Lest we forget.
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