Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, APRIL 26th, 1920. ANZAC DAY.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, APRIL 26th, 1920. ANZAC DAY.

Tims event of five years ago- from which .we drew the commemoration held all'ovcr the Dominion yesterday seems to e more entwined on our minds and manners of observance as the years go by. Time is giving a better perspective of the historic event, and experience has shown what the “blooding” of the overseas soldiers meant in the working o.ut of the Great War. The Anzac -pirit set the hall mark on our soldiery, and a standard was laid for those who followed after, to emulate. It is impossible to associate one’s memory with the great event in our nationhood without some special thought for the tremendous sorrow which still overshadows the occasion. The landing on ’Gallipoli entailed an enormous sacrifice of British troops—embracing those of the Old Land, the Indians, Australians i nd New Zealanders—and also French troops. Gallipoli was not a resounding victory, despite the gallantry of tile landing—an almost impossible task achieved against fearful odds—nor the splendour of the tenacity with which our Allied troops held on to the fringe of the-Pen— Insula which they took with' such boldness. In a military sense so far as achieving a tactical advantage. Gallipoli was a. failure—and our troons after weary months of apparently useless sacrifice, had to abandon the footing which cost so dear. The evacuation \\ as is notable an achievement as the landing in the military interpretation of the feat, even though' the act itself was an obvious admission of the failure of the main purpose. But Gallipoli will live in history for all time as the p?riod in which our troops stood the awful test of war, and came out of it as they went into it, unconquerable. Therein was disclosed the spirit of Anzac, the stern reality of our manhood, which in face of the gravest danger was not afraid, realising the mission an! the purpose for whicth their nation was at war. It lias been well said that in the years to cflme when time has dulled the pain of bereavement and when sorrows that bite deeji to-day are but scars on the memory, the pride of the word Anzac will remain with all its depth of feeling, a tradition for the young •.and a glorious recollection for the old. Later still, too, when men and women no longer sorrow for a generation mat is gone, the anniversary will be a joyous celebration perpetuating the glory that the young manhood of this day has won. The deeds done at Anzac symbolised those which came after by our men.who fought , on so many other battle fronts, where they encountered difficulties and dangers no less stupendous, and where also their rigorous manhood stood le test equally and carried them through the world’s greatest campaign whining renown wherever they fought. The fighting carried^ with it a great sacrifice. The toll of war has left us a wonderful roll of honor for Westland. Over one hundred and sixty names of Westland men are known now to have fallen—and there are more yet to t>e recorded. Truly this district played its part in the Great War, and what is more fitting than that the names of the fallen should be recorded publicly and nerma.nently, so that for all time we shall be reminded of what the Anzac landing called forth and how in that which came after the young soldiery of this far-off corner of the Empire took their place in the common defence of all, and laid down their lives unselfishly so that na-

tion-wide. wo may enjoy onr full liberties to-day.