Anzac Day 2027

When and Where is Anzac Day Commemorated?

Anzac Day is held on 25 April every year. In 2027, it falls on Sunday 25 April. The date is fixed, marking the anniversary of the Gallipoli landing, and is a public holiday in both Australia and New Zealand. Commemorations take place across both countries, from major dawn services in capital cities to small gatherings in country towns, as well as at overseas sites including Gallipoli itself, where Australians and New Zealanders travel to pay their respects.

The Story Behind Anzac Day

Anzac Day commemorates the events of 25 April 1915, when soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in present-day Turkey. It was the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. What had been planned as a swift campaign to knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war soon descended into a grinding stalemate, met with fierce resistance from the Ottoman Army commanded by Mustafa Kemal, later known as Atatürk.

The campaign dragged on for eight months across harsh terrain and brutal conditions. By the time Allied forces were evacuated at the end of 1915, both sides had suffered enormous losses. Allied deaths exceeded 56,000, including 8,709 from Australia and 2,721 from New Zealand. Although Gallipoli was a military failure, the courage, endurance, and mateship shown by the troops left a deep and lasting mark on both nations.

The first Anzac Day was held in 1916, on the first anniversary of the landing, with ceremonies and services across Australia and New Zealand, as well as among troops serving overseas. In the years that followed, the day grew into a solemn national occasion. By the 1920s it had become established as a day of remembrance, and its meaning gradually broadened beyond Gallipoli to honour all Australians and New Zealanders who have served their countries in times of war.

Traditions and Customs

Anzac Day is marked by a number of long-standing and deeply meaningful traditions:

• The Dawn Service – Public ceremonies held just before sunrise, echoing the half-light in which the original landing took place, usually conducted by the Returned and Services League alongside the armed forces.
• Wearing rosemary – Sprigs of rosemary, which grows wild on the Gallipoli peninsula, are worn as a symbol of remembrance for the fallen.
• The Last Post – The bugle call sounded during services, followed by a period of silence and the recitation of the Ode of Remembrance.
• Marches and parades – Veterans and serving personnel take part in marches through towns and cities, watched by crowds who gather to show their respect.
• The game of two-up – A traditional coin-tossing game popular with Anzac soldiers, played in clubs and pubs on the day, and legally permitted in many Australian states only on Anzac Day.

Ways to Commemorate Anzac Day

There are many respectful ways to take part in Anzac Day, whether through formal ceremony or quiet reflection:

• Attend a dawn service – Joining a local dawn service is one of the most powerful ways to honour those who served and to stand alongside your community.
• Wear a sprig of rosemary – A small, traditional gesture that carries deep meaning and connects you to generations of remembrance.
• Observe a minute of silence – Pausing in quiet reflection allows you to pay your respects wherever you happen to be.
• Learn a family or local story – Researching the service of a relative or someone from your community brings the history closer to home.
• Support veterans’ charities – Donating to organisations that help serving personnel and veterans is a practical way to give back.
• Visit a war memorial – Spending time at a local memorial or cemetery is a fitting way to reflect on the cost of conflict.

Facts and Figures

• The Gallipoli landing took place on 25 April 1915, the date now observed as Anzac Day.
• The first Anzac Day commemorations were held in 1916, on the first anniversary of the landing.
• Allied deaths during the Gallipoli campaign exceeded 56,000, including 8,709 Australians and 2,721 New Zealanders.
• Rosemary is worn on Anzac Day because it grows wild on the Gallipoli peninsula.
• Two-up, normally restricted to licensed venues, is legally permitted on Anzac Day in many parts of Australia in recognition of the tradition.

Links

• Find an Anzac Day service via the RSL Australia website
• Explore more awareness days at AwarenessDays.com

Related Awareness Days

• King’s Birthday – Another national observance marked across Commonwealth nations including Australia.
• Carers Week – A week recognising those who care for others, including veterans and their families.
• Action Anxiety Day – A day focused on mental wellbeing, an issue that affects many serving personnel and veterans.