By Lillian Sopera Keneqa – EMTV News, Port Moresby
It was a somber sunrise yesterday as men, women and children gathered to commemorate ANZAC Day. On this day 103 years ago, Australian and New Zealand Soldiers landed on the shores of Gallipoli, to mark the beginning of their involvement in World War One (WWI), and thus beginning the ANZAC spirit.
From as early as 3am, men, women and children began gathering at the Bomana War Cemetery for the start of ANZAC Day commemorations. Similar commemorations were also held in Lae and Rabaul, where more than eight thousand Allied soldiers were laid to rest. Most of them have served as soldiers in World War Two (WWII). Those that were laid to rest at the Bomana War Cemetery fought in the campaigns between January 1942 and August 1945 to evict the Japanese from Papua and New Guinea. Every branch of the Australia armed services had casualties in these battles.
Yesterday morning, the McDhui ceremony was commemorated at the Royal Papua Yacht Club. This ship’s ruins still lie a few kilometres from the shores of Kanudi.
According to RPYC General Manager, Aaron Batts, the partnership between Papua New Guineans and the ANZACs has continued on to today, which is something to be proud of. Among those present for the commemorations yesterday was Daure Kisu. As a young boy he has been a Messenger during World War Two – a part of a group that became known as the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels.
