EDITORIAL: Anzac Day is a commemoration, not a celebration — and peace is the best way to honour the fallen

Anzac Day is a commemoration, not a celebration. To many of us, that is an obvious point that goes without saying. But it can never be forgotten. War is a bloodbath that must be avoided wherever possible. Thousands of young Australians left Albany for World War I with adventure in mind. They found tragedy and death. In the most shocking circumstances imaginable, they fought tooth-and-nail to prevail. The most immediate cause of that war was an assassination in Sarajevo. In World War II, my grandfather fought in Borneo to protect our country from invasion. He believed in that cause, but that did not protect him from the mental impacts of taking lives, and of watching his friends die. He was one of the lucky ones who made it home. I wouldn’t be here if he didn’t. It is important that we pay our respects to our servicemen and women on Sunday. They put their lives on the line for us. Their selflessness, discipline and courage are attributes we should all strive to emulate. The most significant way we can honour those who never made it home is to strive never to let it happen again. Wherever possible, we should protect the peace they fought for. Lest we forget.