Community & Business
20 April, 2026
Clifton RSL Sub-Branch Lest We Forget: Traditions, Teasing, and the Spirit of ANZAC
President of the Clifton RSL Sub Branch, Greg Woodward, lends us his thoughts as we enter the run up to ANZAC Day. The ex-serviceman describes just what he sees the ANZAC Spirit as being.
As we lead into ANZAC Day, Australians across the country begin preparing for one of the most important days on our national calendar. It is a time of remembrance, reflection, and respect - but also one of mateship, shared stories, and the unique bonds forged between those who have served.
Anyone who has spent time in uniform knows that while the Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, and Royal Australian Air Force all stand united in purpose, we are never short of a bit of friendly rivalry.
There’s an old service saying that sums it up perfectly:
“The Army sleeps under the stars,
The Navy navigates by the stars,
And the Air Force judges their motels by the stars.”
It’s the kind of humour that has been passed down through generations - a reminder that while we might give each other a hard time, the camaraderie between services runs deep.
But as ANZAC Day approaches, the focus shifts from banter to tradition - particularly the rituals that bring us together in the early hours of the morning.
One such tradition is the “gunfire breakfast” or the pre-dawn drink. Over the years, I’ve heard plenty about different variations, including the well-known rum and milk.
Yet, in my 26 years in the Army, I can say we never had rum and milk.
It was always rum and coffee.
The reasoning, as it was explained to me, is simple and grounded in history.
On the shores of Gallipoli in 1915, conditions were harsh and supplies limited.
Fresh milk wasn’t exactly on hand - there were no cows lining the trenches - but coffee, even if it was rough and ready, was available.
Rum, issued as part of rations, became a staple.
It makes you wonder whether rum and milk might have been more of a naval tradition.
After all, ships had refrigeration and access to fresh rations that soldiers on land simply didn’t.
This ANZAC Day, we’ll be honouring all traditions.
There will be fresh full-cream milk, there will be International Roast coffee, and there will certainly be plenty of rum.
But beyond the drink itself, it’s about what it represents.
Standing in the dark at a dawn service, with that first taste of rum, whether in coffee or milk, is a moment that wakes you up, sharpens the senses, and connects you, however briefly, to those who came before us.
To the young men who landed in the early hours of 25 April, uncertain of what lay ahead, unsure if they would ever see their loved ones again. It is a small act, but a powerful one.
This ANZAC Day, Jodi and the Post Office team will have the rum and coffee (and maybe some milk) available out the front of the Post Office prior to the Dawn Service for anyone who would like to take part in the tradition.
If you can bring yourself to take that early morning rum and coffee, I encourage you to do so with purpose.
Take a moment to place yourself in their boots, to reflect on their courage, and to honour their sacrifice.
Because that is what this day is truly about.
Lest We Forget.
