Far away from home, New Zealanders and Australians gathered in Washington DC, America, to honour past and current service members and the long relationship between the two countries.
The New Zealand and Australian expatriates who gathered for a mid-morning service at Washington’s National Cathedral found a shared community, sometimes lost among customary banter and sporting rivalries, said Suzette Bradbury, who has lived in Washington for 17 years.
“When you live in New Zealand, there’s this kind of love-hate relationship between Aussies and Kiwis,” said Bradbury. “But I think when you’re so far away, we really find we have so much more in common with Australians than we have in competition with them.
“So I think being on this side of the world really brings Australians and New Zealanders together.”
Australian John Arnold, who has a personal connection to Gallipoli because his grandfather was the only military dentist during the operations in Turkey and North Africa, was among the hundreds of people who commemorated Anzac Day at the Korean War Veterans Memorial at dawn.
“There is such a long history of the cooperation between those two countries,” Arnold said. “Literally in wartime acting as one. And having been together in far parts of the world.”
Coming together in the world’s political capital had added significance, reminding Americans that Australia and New Zealand are longtime US military allies that have lost troops fighting common enemies.
“I think the US sets a lot of store by service and sacrifice, and puts a lot of emphasis on that,” said Bradbury’s husband, Simon. “I think the Anzac Day service is a good way to demonstrate to the US authorities that there are other communities for whom that’s a really important concept.”
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- A retired service member displays his medals at the dawn service held in Washington D.C. April 25, 2016 (Meggie Morris/MNS)
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- Members of the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces stand at attention as the Last Post is played (Meggie Morris/MNS)
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- Wreaths were laid by government officials, Defence Force representatives and returned services groups (Meggie Morris/MNS)
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- Attendees at the Anzac Day Dawn Service in Washington DC bow their heads in prayer (Meggie Morris/MNS)
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- A service attendee speaks with Australian servicemen (Meggie Morris/MNS)
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- The Korean War Veterans Memorial on the National Mall, Washington DC (Meggie Morris/MNS)
Arnold, who is a Royal Australian Air Force and the US Air Force veteran, said many people don’t realise how involved we are in ongoing operations such as the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL.
There are military and intelligence officials from Australia and New Zealand working in the Pentagon and intelligence organisations, and Anzac Day in DC especially reflects on the important role they play, he said.
“In those places, they’re not just considered brothers, they’re considered as part of the whole team. They’re not excluded from things, they’re usually extremely involved,” he said.
“They’re here working through threat problems, and it doesn’t make any difference whether they’re wearing an American uniform, or an Australian uniform, or a New Zealand uniform.”
US Secretary of State John Kerry reinforced the links.
“Over a century later, the United States is proud to partner with Australia and New Zealand in continuing the legacy of Anzac,” he said in a statement. “US, Australian and New Zealand troops have stood side-by-side in support of Afghan security and stability.
“As part of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, they are working together to build the capacity of our Iraqi partners. … In the Asia Pacific, our three countries are working and training together to ensure regional stability and enhance our ability to conduct joint humanitarian and disaster relief missions.
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