Soldiers, sailors and airmen from Australia’s Federation Guard (AFG) joined their trans Tasman cousins in preparations for the Anzac Day Dawn Service at Gallipoli. Australia’s Federation Guard will supply two guardsmen for the dawn service catafalque party during the New Zealand –led event. The dawn service will occur at the Anzac Cove memorial, close to the site of the original landings on 25 April, 1915.

Following the dawn service, the Australian guardsmen and musicians of the Royal Australian Navy band will participate in an Australian service at the Lone Pine Cemetery. The AFG was officially launched on 7 March 2000 at Parliament House in Canberra for the INTERFET welcome home parade. Ceremonial events have taken the AFG to England, Turkey, Greece, South Korea, Singapore and France.

To date, AFG duties have included, among others, Anzac Day support at Gallipoli and Villers-Bretonneaux, support to Greece and Crete commemoration services, support to the Korean War armistice 50th anniversary, support to the 60th anniversary of the fall of Singapore, Royal Guards and House Guards at Buckingham Palace, St James Palace and the Tower of London.