Paying Tribute To Those Who Have Served
Thousands of people have attended Anzac Day services across the United Kingdom.
In London, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Edinburgh, along with senior Australian, New Zealand, British and Turkish officials, attended the dawn service at Hyde Park Corner – the location of the Australian and New Zealand war memorials.
More than 2500 others turned out in the cool, dark London morning for the service.
Head of Australian Defence Staff Air Commodore Matt Harper said it was a special and memorable service.
“The Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces are hugely thankful for the support received from the Royal Family, United Kingdom Government, members of the diplomatic community and, of course, the members of the public,” Air Commodore Harper said.
“It was a very emotional way to commemorate and remember all those who have served our nation and those who paid the ultimate price.”
Among the crowd were Tea Dixon, whose partner is in the Australian Army on exchange to the UK, and her sister Jordan.
“This was one of the biggest dawn services I’ve ever attended – it was nice to see the crowds showing such respect,” Ms Dixon said.
This was her sister’s first attendance at a dawn service.
“The service was moving and beautiful – if a little chilly,” she said.
Australia’s High Commissioner Stephen Smith, in his dawn service address, paid tribute to all those who have been involved in the war against Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
UK Foreign Minister David Lammy, Turkish Ambassador to the UK Osman Koray Ertas, along with Commonwealth and Development Office and UK Ministry of Defence officials, joined Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales and Australian and New Zealand officials for the cenotaph service in Whitehall, ahead of the Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey.
This year marks the 110th anniversary of the landings on the Gallipoli Peninsula on April 25, 1915. Gallipoli was the first time that Australian and New Zealanders participated together in a major conflict as the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
The Allies, including Australians, New Zealanders, British, French, Newfoundlanders and Indians, lost 50,000 lives during the campaign, along with 86,000 Turks.
https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/news/2025-05-01/paying-tribute-those-who-have-served