Anzac Day Tour 2014: Dawn Service at Villers Bretonneux Review

So, taking a trip to Villers Bretonneux for the Anzac Day Dawn Service is really an intense thing, isn’t it? The 2014 event was, well, one of those moments that sticks with you, you know? For Aussies and Kiwis, particularly, going there is much more than a sightseeing trip; it’s practically paying respects and linking up with a seriously significant piece of history.

The Emotional Build-Up

You know, the days going into the Dawn Service actually felt heavy, didn’t they? It’s almost like everyone touring around the Somme area is sort of soaking it all in – graveyards stretch as far as you can see, and there’s a sense of deep sorrow just hanging around, that’s it. I remember heading toward Villers Bretonneux the night before, and the quiet was seriously deafening, right? You are getting ready for something very big and profound. The vibe shifts, becoming almost reverent, you see?

Arriving at the Australian National Memorial

The early hours; too early, is when you actually start the day – that is how the actual thing kicks off. Very long, and possibly even slow lines form to pass through security. Yet everyone’s composed and you can feel, almost a community, connected actually by a silent reverence for the space, very right? People wrapped themselves with flags, some gripped photos of family members, it looked to me. So, actually everyone appeared united by the sole need to remember. So too it’s incredibly moving, that feeling as you approach, seeing the memorial getting closer.

The Dawn Service Experience

When dawn finally broke, well, it cast this incredibly soft glow across the area, right? That made it seem more hallowed. A very gentle light shone on the white headstones; rows of which are going on forever. A service happens that includes hymns and prayers and recitals. When people give talks about the fighting that occurred here, well it makes you realise all the sacrifices, I guess, that were made. That did leave anyone unmoved. As they read the names of the lost I did see a lot of emotion that just overflowed in individuals remembering relations long departed. Music pieces actually intensify everything, that’s it; and it unites everybody that participates and reflects.

After the Service: Reflection and Remembrance

Once the ceremony stops, a lot of folks take some time just walking near the gravestones, that’s what happens. Locating a family members marker, possibly. You’ll see wreaths all fresh, left for these fellows, is what actually occurs. It is something when the sun rises, all these various memorials suddenly burst forth almost and it’s then you feel a true connect and actually consider what these sites do actually symbolize. Some travelers I passed began going back; some remained; but those powerful impressions linger for certain and make that journey something worthy remembering.

Practical Advice for Future Attendees

If going to Villers-Bretonneux for Anzac Day is maybe something on the agenda, it is worth doing several tasks earlier on for planning to obtain almost a seamless time, ok? Make the flight as well as hotels promptly – people go there fast for these dates in the annual events schedule. Always allow on hand warm layers; remember in that morning you’ll wait out in a dark setting early and frequently it has some nip at that moment that possibly surprises anyone not utilized to the climate. Safety’s also something that needs planning to deal almost with crowds and measures being performed – comply promptly by security requests that potentially help anyone that attends this type function feel safer.