Anzac Day As The Daughter of A Warrant Officer

Anzac Day. A day of remembrance for the ANZAC’s who fought for our freedom on the battlefields of Gallipoli. 

On the 25th of April 1915, 16,000 young Australian and New Zealand men landed on the shores of Gallipoli. The battle on Anzac Cove took over 8,700 Australian lives with another 19,440 wounded. 

Today, Australians gather before dawn to commemorate the service of over 2 million people who have served in conflicts, wars, and peace keeping operations since 1914, both those who returned home and those that did not.  

As the daughter of a Warrant Officer and granddaughter of a Navy Veteran, Anzac Day has always been a day of remembrance and gratitude. As I stand beside my Father and Deda — medals adorning their chests — I remember the soldiers who risked their lives for our freedom, feeling a sense of pride that two of the men closest to me are amongst them. 

Michael Mackenzie

My dad, Michael, joined the Navy in 1990 at 18 years old looking for adventure and a purpose. He describes his early days in the defence force as a sense of immediate belonging: “The camaraderie I experienced from the moment I joined was something I had never been part of. You felt like you belonged to something and you all had a common goal.”

In December of 1999, Dad — onboard Sydney — was deployed to East Timor, during the East Timor Crisis as part of the INTERFET contingent. There to provide support to the Timorese people, alongside international partners the Royal Australian Navy sent ship’s company ashore to help restore power, repair the hospital and schools and rebuild the main park. They also provided a flight deck for the Army Blackhawks and hotel services to our Army brethren who had been there for over a month without shower facilities and hot food.

Onboard Newcastle in the early months of 2002, Dad was deployed to the Persian Gulf following the terrorist attack of 9/11. Their job, to enforce oil sanctions in Iraq and stop oil getting out. The extensive training they underwent in preparation for this counter-terrorism operation included all facets of warfare, defence and damage control. 2002 was all about

non-compliant boardings, spending many hours conducting overt and covert operations right up near the border of Kuwait, Iraq and Iran. Dad oversaw communications during the boardings and enjoyed the covert patrols. He described the nights during this deployment as “dark, no moon and the only thing you could see were the red lighting where our teams were and then once we launched the boats, the amazing phosphorescence trail.”

Dad also assisted in training Chilean crew members in Australia and then again in Chile in 2021. 

Visiting countries such as Russia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and the Pacific Islands — experiencing their cultures and destinations— he was able to accomplish and see things he never thought he would. 

His work ethic, sacrifice, and courage is what inspires me in my own career and aspirations.

Konstantin Zarubin

My Deda, Konstantin Zarubin, joined the defence force in July of 1960 at 16 years old. He was deployed in the relief of the Malayan Emergency in his initial years in the Royal Australian Navy. 

In 1964, Deda was onboard Melbourne during the Melbourne-Voyager Collision where 82 men from the Voyager crew lost their lives, many of whom were his friends as he had previously served on HMAS Voyager. 

Soon after he was sent to America for training and to pick up HMAS Brisbane. Upon his return he was deployed to the Vietnam war where he fought on the gunline supporting allied ground troops and targeting enemy positions. 

After completing his 20 years of service, Deda became a defence civilian working on simulator systems at HMAS Watson and then later working at the Combat System Trainer Van — funnily enough, where he met my dad.

He described his time serving in the Royal Australian Navy mostly highlighting the friendship’s he made and the strong community aboard each posting. 

Anzac Day As A Defence Kid

Each Anzac Day brings a 4am wake up to attend the Dawn Service. Over the last few years I have had the privilege of experiencing the Anzac Day Dawn Service in 3 separate states — from my childhood visits to our local service, to two dawn services at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance, and later one at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

Following the dawn service we would make our way into the city, watching Dad and Deda march in the annual Anzac Day March.

On past Anzac Day’s you may have noticed sprigs of Rosemary pinned onto the lapels of Sydneysiders. Since 1940, Sydney Legacy have been giving rosemary as a symbol of remembrance for those who fought for our freedom. On the shores of Gallipoli, rosemary grows, that rosemary now serving as a reminder of the battle on Anzac Cove. 

This year Sydney Legacy have partnered with Little Lon Distillery Co. to embed rosemary into another cherished tradition with their Proudfoot London Dry Style Gin and ready to pour martinis honouring servicemen and women. From the 21st of April to the 30th of April $10 from every bottle of Proudfoot London Dry Style Gin, and $2 from every ready-to-pour Martinis purchased from their online store will be donated to Sydney Legacy to support veteran families. 

Not simply a drink to be shared in remembrance but a way to give back. 

April 25th, 2026 will mark the 111th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings recognising and commemorating the service of over 2 million people who have served in all conflicts, wars, and peace operations since 1914. 

Lest we forget.