Celebrating ANZAC Day

Celebrating ANZAC Day in the Year of the pandemic of 2021

By COL, Ret. Arthur Tulak,

The Hawaii Commandery recommitted its support to New Zealand Corps (ANZAC) Day with a pared-down ceremony at the WWI Memorial. Participation was limited to remain below 10 persons, in accordance with City and State regulations on assembly. Participants included: • Col, Ret. Jason Seal, Chairman of the Committee to restore the Naval Air

Station Barbers Point Memorial, and Companion of the Gaylord Dillingham

Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW) • Daniel Martinez, Chief historian of the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, and member of the successful HI WWI Centennial Task Force • Major Daniel Nunez from U.S. Indo-Pacific Command J9, • Ms. Teddy Harrison, President of “Remember the Lady” organization devoted to commemorating Army nurses, and her husband Franklin, both supporters of the Hawaii WWI Centennial Task Force, and; • Kim Greely of the Celtic Pipers who provided the musical portion of the ceremony.

Commander Manchester was the Master of Ceremonies, and led a program designed to follow the ANZAC Order of Service ceremony.1 In his opening remarks, Commander Manchester recalled that as there were no ANZAC Day activities available to the public this year and last, the Hawaii Commandery was keen to honor our Australian and New Zealand Allies who have served alongside Americans in her foreign wars. A key element of the ceremony was the wreath laying, performed by Commander Manchester, while Ms. Kim Greely played Amazing Grace with her bagpipes. The wreath was hand made by Ms. Harrison especially for this event, and included freshly gathered flowers and leaves of significance to Australia and New Zealand. The wreath displays ribbons of colors of Allied banners, an outsized Flanders Poppy, a cluster of smaller poppies, Australian golden wattle, rosemary, various grasses, a magnolia, noni leaves (noni being suggestive of relieving pain), symbolic decorative, wearable buttons representing WWI scenes & recruiting posters. The purple ribbons that are arranged amongst the natural greenery represent mourning, spirituality, dignity, & several other manifestations of devotion & the gallantry of those lost in war. VA nurse during Vietnam & Red Cross nurse, Presidio, San Francisco during Major Daniel Nunez, of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, J9, held the colors aloft for the ceremony, and represented the ac-the evacuation of Saigon, "Operation Babylift” & US Army tive-duty military. Nurse Corps captain during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. As a registered nurse in California, Ms. Harrison, provided care for WWI Veterans, and has been a great supporter of the HI WWI Centennial. Commander Manchester presented the wreath on behalf of all organizations represented by the members of the official party.

Companion Tulak led the following element of the order of service, which is the “Recitation of the Ode.” The Ode comes from the poem “For the Fallen,” written by the English poet and writer Laurence Binyon. It was published in London in The Winnowing Fan: Poems of the Great War in 1914. This verse, which became the Ode for the Returned and Services League, has been used in association with commemoration services in Australia since 1921:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.

Elements of the Order of Service that could not be performed were explained to all present. The “Last Post,” which follows the Ode, is a bugle call, that In Australian military tradition, signifies the end of the day's activities. It is also sounded at military funerals, similar to our Taps, to indicate that the soldier has gone to his final rest and at commemorative services such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.” Commander Manchester solemnly initiated the “minute of sacred silence” which is then followed by the ‘rousing of the flag.’ On Anzac Day the Australian flag is flown at half-mast. Following the minute of sacred silence, the flag is raised back to the top of the pole accompanied by the playing of a bugle call known as 'the rouse', and is followed by the playing of the national anthem. The presence of the MOFW Commandery Flag symbolically represent this element of the ceremony. Commander Manchester stands with Ms. Teddy Harrison, and Col, USMC Ret. Jason Seal repre-

Ambassador Jane Hardy, the Consul-General of the Australian Consulate senting the Military Order of World Wars. in Hawaii, thanked the group for conducting the ceremony in a letter sent to Companion Tulak, expressing her heartfelt appreciation for remembering ANZAC day in spite of the many challenges. Participants from L-R: Col Jason Seal, COL Tulak, LTC Manchester, Mr. Daniel Martinez, MAJ Nunez, Teddy and Franklin Harrison.