Anzac Day is the annual official anniversary in Australia and New Zealand for all residents who have participated in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping missions. The memorial day takes place on April 25 every year. Our British cemetery in Nederweert contains the remains of seven Anzac soldiers who fell during the Second World War.

In 2021, two board members started laying wreaths on Anzac Day. The idea behind this is that we could potentially expand this in the future by doing this together with the Anzac adopters. If you are an ANZAC adopter and you want to participate in this, please contact us.

Background:

At 4:30 am on April 25, 1915, the Anzacs landed on Gallipoli. The hopes of bringing the Ottoman Empire to its knees quickly ended in a stalemate. Eight months later, the Allies withdrew.

There were more than 8,000 Australian and nearly 3,000 New Zealand dead. Although the expedition failed, the Anzacs acquired a good reputation. It was called the 'Anzac Legend' or the 'Spirit of Anzac'. The following year, on April 25, 1916, the landing was already commemorated. Memorial ceremonies and marches were held in various places in Australia and New Zealand. A memorial march was held in London in which more than two thousand Anzacs marched. In Australia and New Zealand, Anzac Day is a more important day than Remembrance Day. That is why we as a foundation want to pay attention to this on a small scale.

In the 1920s, Anzacday became a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand. The more than sixty thousand fallen from the First World War were commemorated on that day. Anzac Day officially became a memorial day in New Zealand in 1922. By 1927, Anzacday was an official anniversary in all Australian states and territories. By the mid-1930s, the Anzacday tradition had developed. Since the Second World War, Anzacday also commemorates the Australians and New Zealanders who took part in the war effort in that war. Later on, Anzacday has begun to commemorate all Australians and New Zealanders who took part in or were victims of any war, conflict and peacekeeping mission.