00:00Haunting sounds signal the start of a day for reflection.
00:0732,000 people gathered before dawn at the Australian War Memorial,
00:14marking 109 years since the first Anzacs landed at Gallipoli.
00:20As we remember the Anzacs of 1915,
00:23we also remember all of those who have followed in their footsteps.
00:30Wreaths were laid, prayers were offered
00:33before the incoming Chief of Defence delivered their commemorative address.
00:38I ask you all to hold in your hearts those who mourn on Anzac Day
00:46and remember those whose service left them wounded in body, mind or spirit.
00:53Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
00:58at the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.
01:19Then Indigenous Australians who have served in the armed forces were honoured.
01:24We all come here to remember and to honour the first warriors
01:29who have been protecting this land for tens of thousands of years,
01:34but also those who were the first peacemakers.
01:38With the sun now shining, it was time for the Veterans March,
01:44reviewed for the last time by the outgoing Governor-General.
01:49I march on behalf of my dad.
01:51He was a Nacho in Vietnam and he died about 20 years ago,
01:56but marching was really important to him to commemorate.
01:59It says a belonging, I guess. I've been in the Navy my whole life,
02:02so I like to come and hopefully bump into some people I know,
02:05but also take some time to remember those 103,000 people
02:09who gave their lives for Australia.
02:11More than 1,600 people took to the memorial's new parade ground.
02:16It was a promise I made months ago that we'd be ready for Anzac Day
02:19and the only way I wanted this parade ground to be commissioned
02:22was by veterans marching on it on this day.
02:25That's the only way you could do it.
02:27The crowd of thousands leaving no doubt that the Anzac spirit lives on.
02:32I think it's really important that we come here and pay our respects.
02:36There is a certain level of emotion to it, but for me it was just amazing
02:39to see the sheer number of people that still come out and were here this morning.
02:43It's a really, really opportune time to remember
02:46just how important this is for so many people.
02:49Lest we forget.
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