This ANZAC Day we’ll come together, in person and in spirit, to commemorate the men and women who have served our nation in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.

Last year Be shared the story of Illma Anzac on her 101^st birthday. Her daughter Alva shared some wonderful stories about her mother; including the story behind her middle name being Anzac and you can read more about it here.

Because of COVID-19 each state around Australia will be marking ANZAC Day a little differently than previous years. Anzac Day commemorations will take place as normal in Queensland, with marches and dawn services to be held as they would any other year.

Marches, dawn services, parades, and community events

Many parades, services and marches will be taking place around Queensland under COVID Safe plans. The Queensland Government has provided a list here for further information regarding commemorations taking place around the state.

The ANZAC Spirit encompasses the distinctive qualities of mateship, humour, ingenuity, courage and endurance, the Australian community will again come together in new ways to honour those who have served and sacrificed for this nation.

Our Be community will be honouring ANZAC Day in many ways and here we share a couple of ways you too can commemorate ANZAC Day 2021.

Light up the Dawn

Thanks to RSL Australia, a national campaign is underway encouraging Australians to commemorate ANZAC Day in their own way. Offering choice, commemorate veterans with a traditional Dawn Service at your local cenotaph, or honour them from home at 6am. Whether at traditional services, or by commemorating personally at home, Australian’s are encouraged to honour veterans, past and present in a way that is personally safe.

Given the tremendous community response to this initiative in 2020, the RSL will again help Australians come together at 6am on 25 April – in their driveways, on their balconies, or in their living rooms – to commemorate Australia’s deeply held ANZAC traditions. Find out more here.

Long standing tradition- ANZAC Biscuits

Sharing stories through cooking is often a wonderful way to commemorate ANZAC Day. Cooking ANZAC Biscuits is popular with many Australian family however this much loved and long-standing tradition is nothing like the hardtack biscuits our soldiers received back in the day.

Be Volunteer, Julie-ann Harris, has shared her much loved and long standing ANZAC Biscuit recipe. Julie shares “I received this recipe back in high school in 1973 and I have loved and have been using it ever since then.”

Ingredients:
1 cup of plain flour
1 cup of rolled oats
¾ cup coconut
¾ cup sugar
150 grams butter
15ml golden syrup
60ml boiling water
1tsp baking soda

Method:
1. Sift flour into bowl
2. add rolled oats, coconut and sugar.
3. melt butter in saucepan and add syrup and water
4. add soda, allow to foam and pour immediately into dry ingredients.
5. mix well then take small pieces of mixture and press out thinly on greased trays, allowing space between each for spreading.
6. bake in a slow oven approximately 10 to 12 minutes, as they burn easily.
Enjoy!

From home

The 2021 Anzac Day Dawn Service and National Ceremony will be broadcast live across Australia on ABC TV and iView.

The Australian War Memorial and Department of Veterans’ Affairs have created a virtual poppy wall so you can leave a personalised message of remembrance online, no matter where you’re commemorating this Anzac Day. Place a poppy and leave your message here.