Anzac Day pub trivia

Friday, April 15, 2011

Anzac Day is upon us again. As most of you will end up down the pub talking mindless drunken drivel over a game of two-up, we've decided to help out with a few interesting and some slightly random Anzac Day facts.

Anzac Day commemorates the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915.
There is no town of Gallipoli, it's an area in Turkey.
Anzacs were all volunteers and true-blue legends.
More than 11,000 Anzacs died at Gallipoli and more than 23,500 were wounded.
The Anzac Bridge in Sydney was given its name in memory of the Anzacs. On the western pylon flies a Kiwi flag and the eastern flies the Aussie flag.
Anzac Day is honoured in Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands as many Pacific Island soldiers fought at Anzac Cove.
The last Anzac vet, Alec Campbell, died in 2002. He was given a 21-gun salute usually reserved for royalty.
Every year since 1995, AFL rivals, Essendon and Collingwood play the Anzac Day clash to sell out crowds at the MCG. So far the teams are level with seven wins each and one draw.
The Anzac Day clash medal rewards footy players who best demonstrate the Anzac spirit of skill, courage and fair play. Retired Essendon legend James Hird has won it three times.
Anzac biscuits were created by wives of soldier's who wanted to bake healthy goodies for their men. They lacked egg and milk, so kept for a long time and didn't spoil during transport. Today these bickies can only legally be called Anzac biscuits if they stay true to the original recipe.
The game of two-up probably began as pitch and toss in the 18th century. It became the soldier's favourite game during the war and remains Australia's (unofficial) national game, even though it's only legal on Anzac Day.
In two-up, "cockatoo" was the nickname used for the lookout guy who would inform players of the cops.
Services are held at dawn because in battle, dawn was the best time to attack the enemy. Soldiers would be woken in the dark so at the first signs of light they were alert and awake.
One of the best remembered Anzacs is Jack (John) Simpson Kirkpatrick who rescued 300 wounded soldiers single-handedly, transporting them by donkey to safety.
The term ANZAC is protected under Australian law. The word is not supposed to be used in things like business, product or property names without the permission from the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Oh dear.

User comments

My family and I attended this mornings dawn service at the Shrine. We were bitterley disappointed that we could not even hear the service. Speaking to a Digger, he said that in previous years the sound has always been too much - did they err too far on the side of caution???

I remember in my own way as an expat living in the Philippines for now, remembering my family in all wars and the friends I lost in Vietnam. ANZAC DAY means so much and I miss the march in Sydney and one day will return before I go to that ADF squad in the sky.

Last that I was aware, it was, "...ANZAC..." Lest we forget the correct spelling of these great heroes.

I spent anzac day helping to organise and participate our little island in southern moreton bay qld our 16th dawn service, and the rest of the day remembering the great significance of the day and remember our many family relatives who fought in all conflicts with my children

Dawn service at Kilburn RSL, breakfast at Enfield RSL.

Lest We Forget no truer words were ever spoken by our nation

i will be down the local rsl club running the two up game

I went to my school festival at Churchie (We had prayers, odes, and our cadet marching to Australia War ways).

I attended the Dawn Service and then relaxed for tyhe remainder of the day.

11000 voluntary soldiers-what a wonderful and committed bunch!! sacrificing your life for freedom and future peace of one's country. may they rest in peace! p.s. please let me know who were the enemy they fought at gallipoli? thanks.

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