ANZAC Day 2015
The ANZAC day services are an important way for students, staff and the Ivanhoe community to come together and reflect on and remember the sacrifices of those who have served military service. These services had a special focus this year as the School, along with the ANZACs both celebrate their 100th Anniversary.
The day started with Buckley House hosting a service that is shared with grandparents of students. It was wonderful to see grandparents, students and staff enjoying this significant occasion together.
Services were conducted at Plenty Campus as well as the Middle Years and Senior Years at The Ridgeway Campus. The Cadet Unit posted a Catafalque Guard and the names of former Ivanhoe students who have lost their lives at war were read out.
During WWII, the School’s founding Headmaster, The Reverend Sydney Buckley, kept in close contact with his old boys who were on active service and the School has a unique record of their stories. Seventy past students lost their lives and each year their sacrifice is remembered and their relatives are invited to the service.
In addition to the School services over 100 students in Years 9 to 12 from Ivanhoe Grammar School attended Camp Gallipoli at the Melbourne Showgrounds to commemorate ANZAC Day and the School’s Cadet unit provided the Catafalque Guard.
Camp Gallipoli provides the opportunity for families, schools and community groups to come together and camp out under the stars as the ANZACs did 100 years ago and embrace the ANZAC spirit of mateship.
On the following morning, students participated in a gunfire breakfast, followed by a Dawn Service to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the landings at Gallipoli. School Cadets also attended a variety of services in the Melbourne CBD, Heidelberg RSL as well as the dawn service at Laurimar and at Epping on ANZAC Day as well as the Whittlesea march in the afternoon.
It is a wonderful opportunity for the Cadet Units at each Campus to make a significant contribution to the local communities.
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