Spirit of sacrifice, service celebrated

STUDENTS at St Andrew’s Anglican College, led by the New Zealand Veteran’s Band, were out in force on Friday for a special Anzac Day service.
College principal Chris Ivey told the gathering while the service acknowledged the battle and the war, Anzac Day was also about looking at the human spirit and its ability to serve and put others above itself.
“What comes out of Anzac Day for me is that, what we need in a world is to not think about ourselves but rather what we can do for others. This allows us to reflect on the sacrifices we made so many years ago and continues to be made for us each and every day”, Mr Ivey said.
The service included a commemoration address by RSL Tewantin-Noosa sub-branch president Steve Drake and reflections by a number of students.
Year 10 student Bryanna Gull said Anzac Day goes beyond the anniversary of the landing on Gallipoli in 1915.
“It is a day on which we remember Australians who served and died in all wars, conflicts and peace keeping operations. The spirit of Anzac with its human quality of mateship, nationalism and sacrifice continues to have meaning and relevance for our sense of national identity”, Bryanna said.
The Bugle used during the service to play the Last Post is believed to have originally been used in the Crimean War from 1853 to 1856 before being passed onto the New Zealand Veteran’s Band and is continued to be used to this day in Anzac Day services.
Following the Last Post and one minute silence, students laid wreaths at the college’s memorial plaque and also placed poppies on the grounds in remembrance.