Commemorating Anzac Day
Wenona marked Anzac Day with poignant services in our Junior and Senior School Assemblies, followed by the laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph in St Leonards Park. Our commemorations formed part of our annual tradition of honouring the sacrifices of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½n and New Zealand service personnel past and present through reflection and education.
The 2025 ceremony in Senior School Assembly featured an Acknowledgment of Country, with special tribute paid to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women who have served in our nation's defence, highlighting that their contributions form an integral part of our shared history.
Students stood for the School Hymn, reflecting on what Anzac Day means for them and the importance of giving thanks for every sacrifice, while taking inspiration from their strength and courage.
One of the most moving moments came with the reading of The Ode from Laurence Binyon's poem, For the Fallen, which includes the powerful lines:
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
The Last Post was played, followed by one minute of silence – a time for reflection on those who have served in Ä¢¹½´«Ã½'s armed forces, particularly those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The silence was broken by the playing of the Reveille, symbolising the awakening of the spirit of the fallen.
The ceremony concluded with the singing of both the New Zealand and Ä¢¹½´«Ã½n National Anthems, a fitting tribute to the enduring alliance between the two nations that was forged on the battlefields of Gallipoli.
As a school community, Wenona remains committed to ensuring that the memory of those who served and sacrificed is never forgotten, and that the qualities they embodied continue to inspire future generations. Lest we forget.