We will remember them: Anzac Day 2026

As they contemplated silence in a crowd, Archie spoke of Private Raymond Patrick Skehan, who was buried alive not long after he landed in Gallipoli on April 25, 1915.

The two young men shared just a nationality and a surname, and it would be 116 years later that Raymond’s story was remembered, kept alive by Archie.

Ray survived that day and lived to carry vital messages at Pozieres in 1916, even after being hit in the knee by shrapnel, for which he was eventually awarded the Military Medal.

“Ray was once just a normal young man. He went to school, had a future ahead of him, and made the decision to serve when his country called,” Archie said.

“That decision changed the course of his life forever; and that’s what makes Anzac Day feel real to me.”

Archie spoke of the young man he never knew, and of how remembrance isn’t just about one minute of silence, but about carrying the stories forward and making sure they are not forgotten; not taking the freedom we have today for granted.

Courage in the face of fear

Co-captain Sophie Coghill, whose sister Abbey serves in the Australian Army, said Anzac Day was not about glorifying war, nor was it about celebrating conflict.

“Instead, it asks us to remember to reflect on the values that soldiers, past and present, carry with them,” Sophie said.

“Courage in the face of fear, mateship in moments of hardship, resilience when hope seemed distant, and sacrifice beyond what many of us can truly imagine.

“These are not just words; they are ideals that continue to shape who we are as Australians.”

Sophie said the Anzac story, at its heart, is a story of ordinary people.

“They were not defined by rank or reputation, but by their humanity,” she said.

“They were students, workers, brothers, sons, people with dreams, ambitions, and futures waiting for them - and yet, when faced with unimaginable circumstances, they rose to meet them.

“Their stories remind us that courage is not the absence of fear, but the strength to move forward despite it; that resilience is built not in ease, but in adversity.”

A spirit that does not die

Yarrawonga College P-12 school captain, Lucas Eales spoke about selflessness, the depths of human bravery, and more than 300,000 Australians who served and 60, 000 who lost their lives overseas during WWI.

“Among the most significant chapters of this history was the Gallipoli campaign, an eight-month struggle defined by harsh conditions and heavy losses, where over 25,000 Australians became casualties, including 8,700 who died from wounds, illness, or in battle,” Lucas said.

Last year, Lucas walked the Kokoda Track with 11 other students and two teachers and imagined the men who sat where he sat, their thoughts, fears, laughter and whether or not they made it home to their families and loved ones.

“It is through this experience that I came to fully appreciate the impact and ravages of war, and also the amazing spirit and courage of our Anzacs,” he said.

“There were kids more than 100 years ago, the same age or younger than me involved … my dad was younger than I am now when he joined the army as a 17-year-old.

“Many of these boys would lie about their age, driven by their sense of duty and a desire to be part of something greater; they came forward, determined to fight and ultimately became part of the Anzac legend.

“This is a spirit that cannot die; a spirit that does not fade and a spirit that will never be forgotten.”

A past that guides the future

Co-captain Toni McClounan told how the soldiers’ mission was secure a decisive advantage in the war, but what unfolded was months of brutal stalemate, immense sacrifice, and profound loss.

She also spoke of those Australians who didn’t serve on the front line but were called to serve, in a different, quieter sense.

Where everyday civilians stepped forward to support their communities, coming together to provide comfort, raise funds and, show strength, not through combat, but through resilience, unity and care.

“The majority of us can’t begin to fathom how daunting it would have actually been,” Toni said.

“A future without a clear path, uncertainty constantly churning in your stomach, the smells of an unfamiliar ground, mixed with the loud silence, before the fire of a gun.

“Families writing letters unaware of whether they’d ever receive anything back … each day filled with hope that their loved one was safe, that another letter would arrive with their handwriting and not someone else’s.

“In a world where conflict continues to unfold across headlines and screens, war can feel closer than ever before. It is no longer something confined to history books; it is present, and immediate.

“These current events remind us that the cost of war is not abstract.

“Anzac Day is not only about honouring the past; it calls on us to value peace, to approach the future with empathy and responsibility, and to ensure that the stories of those who gave everything are not forgotten but, instead, guide how we live today.”

Lest We Forget