Spectators lining downtown Sydney streets cheered as current and former service men and women, some joined by their families or survivors, marched from the Cenotaph at Martin Place to the edge of Hyde Park near to the ANZAC Memorial. This year’s parade marks the exact day 95 years ago when the soldiers and seamen of the Australian and New Zealand Armed Forces landed on the beaches of Gallipoli, Turkey, marking one of the bloodiest battles of World War I.
Every year since 1927, Australians have proudly marked the occasion of the invasion at Gallipoli to remember all of the men and women who have and continue to serve under arms, as well as to remember those who have fallen in defense of their country.
This years march included over 84 separate contingents representing approximately 20,000 serving and ex-service personnel, cadets and survivors and took over four hours to complete the 1.2 kilometer march.
The March was lead by His Excellency Mr. James Spigelman, Lt. Governor of New South Wales with the March Commander being RADM Steve Gillmore, Commander of the Australian Fleet. Trooper Mark Donaldson VC was in the positioned at the head of the March. Trooper Donaldson was recently awarded Australia’s highest military award, the Victory Cross, for his gallant and life saving actions while serving in Afghanistan in 2009.
