AT the conclusion of Sunday’s Anzac March, Gawler RSL President Colin Wardrop made a poignant remark to the crowd gathered at Pioneer Park.
“This is the beginning, never an end for the Anzac March”.
It felt like that was well and truly the case.
After a long six-year absence, hundreds lined the pavement both sides of Murray St as veterans and their families marched up to Pioneer Park.
Applause could be heard from the crowd as men and women, young and old, made their way on the journey.
For us civilians, we can never repay the sacrifices these veterans have made for the protection of our way of life.
We must remember that a lot of these men and women were still in the early stages of their lives when they took up arms, and some didn’t really have any other choice.
By this point we know all about the hardships Vietnam vets endured in the years during and following the War, especially from the public and the rest of the defence community.
This August marks the 50th anniversary of the end of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War.
Once upon a time you would be hard pressed to find a Vietnam vet marching on Anzac Day.
As the last few diggers from World War II move on, our Vietnam veterans are the ones leading the charge now, and it was great to see as much on Sunday morning.
In recent years the sentiment towards Anzac Day from parts of the community has begun to shift back towards that same anti-war stance that was seen during the Vietnam conflict.
The reality is though, that you can be staunchly anti-war but still recognise those the sacrifices made by those who have served and continue to serve.
The two aren’t mutually exclusive. Anzac Day remains a time to reflect on those sacrifices from not only our veterans but also the families and communities that suffered during conflict.
For those that return home, the battle simply doesn’t end out on the field.
Let’s remember that, even when it isn’t Anzac Day.
