Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

The story of Gallipoli will always have a special place in the hearts of Australians—the tragedy, the tales of courage and mateship, the true horrors of war. We know that, through all of this, the Anzac spirit is woven into our history, embedded into our identity and will never be forgotten in our future. This year, the Anzac legacy has an additional point of significance—100 years since the landing at Gallipoli; 100 years since Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed on the shores of Turkey; 100 years since 8,141 Australians fell on that soil, their youth stolen in battle.

While Australia was at that point just 15 years old, from the devastation of our losses arose a distinct unity in Australians to never forget the sacrifice our soldiers made, and 100 years later I am proud to say that the spirit of the Anzac is stronger than ever. I imagine it would have seemed unbelievable back then that a century after those horrific events we would be standing in the national parliament marking them, but we can say that we have truly honoured the phrase 'lest we forget', and we are showing that through this motion in the parliament today. It is hard to imagine what our soldiers faced when they landed at Anzac Cove on the morning of 25 April 1915. In front of them lay a brutal battle, but behind them was the courage to fight for their country. They made the ultimate sacrifice, and it is now our duty to keep their spirit alive, both those who did not return and those who came home bearing the scars of conflict.

Each year I am consistently humbled by the way Australians pay tribute to our Anzacs. Nearly 417,000 men fought in World War I, including almost 35,000 men from South Australia. One of these young men from my electorate of Adelaide was Captain Harold Edwin Salisbury Armitage. Captain Armitage was 20 when war broke out. At the time, he was studying an arts degree at the University of Adelaide. Like everyone who fought in the war, his life and livelihood were put on hold to serve Australia. Captain Armitage enlisted on 24 March 1915 as a private, but quickly received a commission as a second lieutenant and was assigned to the 10th Infantry Battalion. He departed Australia on 20 April 1915. It is noted that it was unusual that he was allowed to embark overseas as military regulations at the time deemed that no officer under the age of 23 years could be taken into active service, but, like so many of his comrades, age was not a barrier and the war awaited him. Armitage arrived on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 2 June, and only two months later he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant—a testament to the respect he commanded and his ability to lead. Unlike so many others, Gallipoli was not the last sight that Armitage would see. He was transferred to a new battalion where he was promoted to captain and given command of his own company. By mid-2016 the battalion was located in Northern France, but the horror of war did not subside. His first action as part of the battalion was in the battle at Mouquet Farm, where, after five weeks of fighting, Australia had suffered 23,000 casualties—its worst ever total in five weeks. The battalion was rested, but the war continued. In February 1917, Captain Armitage was killed during an attack.

From humble beginnings in the suburb of Norwood, Captain Armitage became a respected and distinguished leader and friend to his comrades. He is one of the more than 5,500 South Australians killed in World War I. Sometimes it is hard to think of the best tribute when faced with such momentous loss. Nothing can bring back the sons, brothers, husbands, fathers, wives, sisters and daughters lost in the war. But, as members of parliament, we are privileged to see the best in our local communities right around Australia who play such a vital role in bringing the Anzac spirit to life, renewing and refreshing the memory of those who gave so much to our country.

In my electorate of Adelaide, which I am so proud to represent in this place, I was overwhelmed with the variety of ways which our local community marked 100 years of Australian service. There were amazing tributes showcasing that the spirit of mateship is as vibrant as ever. I would particularly like to congratulate the 15 schools and organisations in the electorate which received Centenary of Anzac grants to commemorate the anniversary. From the City of Prospect's A City At War exhibition, showing a snapshot of the city during World War I, to Gilles Street Primary School creating a history trail of sites in the city of Adelaide, these projects will mould the way that our electorate understands and marks Anzac Day into the future. Ultimately, the best tribute comes in the form of our children, in our future generations nourishing and enlivening what the spirit of Anzac means to modern Australia. As parliamentarians, we have an opportunity to ensure that our children are educated in Australia's history and how these events have shaped Australia into what it is today. As shadow minister for education, this is a responsibility I take seriously. I want to see that every student has an understanding of these important events going forward.

Earlier I spoke of Captain Armitage, who in a letter home from Gallipoli wrote that he had seen many sights. He wrote:

... pleasing, horrible, awe inspiring, hellish, but as far as I can say, the effect has only been to broaden my experience, [and to] make me a little more serious.

I think that this resonates with the impact of this war on Australia in general. It changed us, it devastated us, but through the pain we saw stories of courage, stories of mateship and stories of pride. On the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli, I am proud to say to those who fought so bravely, who supported so selflessly, and who lost so much: the light of your memory has not dimmed, and will not dim, in the lives of Australians. We continue to remember. We continue to reflect on the importance of this campaign and we continue to ensure that the role in forging a modern Australia will never, ever be forgotten.

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