ANZAC DAY ADDRESS
by Mr Peter Doyle, Australian Ambassador to Timor-Leste
Dili, Timor-Leste
25 April 2014
On this day 99 years ago, thousands of young men from Australia, New Zealand and many other parts of the British Empire landed on the Gallipoli peninsula, in what is now Turkey. We struggle to imagine what was in their minds, just as we cannot fully understand what they and the Ottoman forces they faced had to endure.
What we do know is that more than 2,000 ANZACs were killed on that first day and losses on the Ottoman side and likely to have been similar.
By the end of the eight month campaign, more than 8,700 Australian and more than 2,700 New Zealanders had died, with thousands more casualties. The Ottoman forces suffered an estimated 250,000 casualties of whom 86,000 lost their lives.
Our starting point is, as it must be, the solemn commemoration of this loss. This sacrifice.
While we celebrate the ANZAC spirit and its qualities of courage, resilience and self-reliance that we so much admire and seek to emulate – we must know the loss. The horror and pity of war. Lives ended. Men wounded terribly in body and mind. The anguish and suffering of the families, not only of those who did not return but of those who returned different men.
As we reflect each year on the ANZAC story and the ANZAC spirit, we also pay tribute to all current and former members of our defence forces – the women and men who have served and are serving our nation – in wars, conflicts and on peacekeeping operations.
Here in Dili, our thoughts turn to the suffering and loss of life on the island of Timor by Australians, Japanese, Indonesians and Timorese during the Second World War.
Australia is deeply grateful to those brave Timorese who guided, supported and cared for the Australian commandos throughout the campaign. We remember and salute that sacrifice.
To the people of Timor-Leste, in particular, I would like to address a few brief remarks.
Ba Timor oan sira, en partikular, ha’u hakarak ható lia fuan badak ida.
Ohin, ami hakarak rekoñece vida ne’ebe lakon no mos terus ne’ebé povu Timor-Leste hetan iha Funu Mundial ba Daruak.
Ami hakarak ható obrigadu ho laran tomak ba Timor oan sira ne’ebé brani loke dalan no fó tulun ba Komandu Australianu sira to kampaña remata.
There is a strong bond between our nations. In more recent times, New Zealand and Australia have shown our strong and continuing support for the people of Timor-Leste. In a speech this month in Perth, Prime Minister Gusmao spoke of the outstanding job done by the International Force East Timor (INTERFET), in 1999 under Australian leadership, when our Timorese friends were taking their first steps as a free people.
New Zealand and Australia again answered Timor-Leste’s call in contributing to the UN missions and the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) between 2006 and 2012. ISF consisted of Australians and New Zealanders and thus was a true ANZAC force.
While we celebrate that continuation of the ANZAC spirit and the contribution it has made to Timor-Leste’s remarkable progress in the now almost 12 years since independence, we also remember the four Australian and five New Zealand defence personnel who paid the ultimate price assisting the Timorese people since 1999 as part of these missions.
Today, while we remember the fallen, and all those who have suffered as a result of war and conflict, we also reflect on who we are as a people. The ANZAC spirit has helped to shape us – to tell us who we are. We created the Anzac legend and the values we find lived in their lives have become our values.
We feel the loss and the waste of war, but with that loss, a sense of wonder and a deep pride.
Lest we forget.
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Second World War widow, |
Dignitaries from Australia, New Zealand, |
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An estimated 400 people attended the early morning service at Largo Lecidere, Dili. |
Australian Defence Attache, Col. Luke Foster (left), and Ambassador Peter Doyle (right) join ceremony attendees in front of wreaths. |
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F-FDTL Naval Component Commander, Higino das Neves (left) with the Australian Ambassador (right). |
New Zealand Ambassador, Jonathan Schwass, addresses the Dawn Service. |
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Australian Ambassador, Peter Doyle, addresses the Dawn Service. |
