Zonnebeke (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Polygoonbos in Zonnebeke hosted an Anzac Day ceremony at the start of that morning. On this occasion, Australians and New Zealanders remember their soldiers who fought in the First World War during its 110th anniversary. A silent morning tribute was paid among the resting places of soldiers who had died in battle.
On Anzac Day 2025, at Buttes New British Cemetery, the dawn ceremony featured an event at Polygon Wood, Zonnebeke, Belgium, to honour soldiers from Australia and New Zealand who fought during World War I. At 6:00 a.m., the ceremony proceeded at the graves, which contained 2,108 Commonwealth soldiers, including 564 Australians.
People assembled in a peaceful woodland space as they contemplated the 110th anniversary of Anzacs arriving at Gallipoli. Lights guided visitors through the sombre event, which was accompanied by the sad melody of the Last Post bugle, along with attendees honouring military personnel who fought and perished in wars.
“There is a very special, almost sacred atmosphere here,”
Says a local resident who is there every year at 6 a.m.
“It still gives me goosebumps. Next to me were New Zealanders, so these people came here especially from the other side of the world. The idea that they still make such an effort so many years later really gives me goosebumps.”
Rows of candles lead the morning visitors from the entrance of the cemetery deeper into the forest, where the ceremony takes place. The silence and modesty of the place seem to overwhelm everyone.
“This is special”,
Alderman Joachim Jonckheere (Team 8980) also feels.
“You hear the birds waking up and whistling in the forest. I thought about all sorts of things: about what must have happened here 110 years ago, but also about what is still happening elsewhere in the world today. And that makes me very quiet, so early in the day.”
In the crowd, a man stands out with the Australian flag draped around his shoulders.
“I’m from Brisbane in Australia,”
He says.
“But I was born in New Zealand. I came here especially for Anzac Day. It’s a very emotional journey. Because my uncle is buried in Ypres.”
“I don’t think my father even knew his brother died here. So sad… I only found out about 4 months ago where my uncle is buried. I’m going to visit his grave soon. This is going to be a very emotional day for me.”
Why does Anzac Day remain a significant observance in Belgium?
Anzac Day commemorates sacrifices from all conflicts through its ceremonial events, which span from the battlefields of Belgium to the Cenotaph in London. The dawn ceremony takes place at Polygon Wood in Zonnebeke so people can feel the lasting damage of World War I battlefield destruction. The distinctive ambiance at the site became apparent to local citizens and worldwide spectators because of the combination of natural birdsong with lit candles that prompted people to meditate about both past and present wars.
The involvement of descendants seeking to understand their buried military ancestors strengthens the daily function of personal and family memory preservation. People from various nations commemorate through early morning services at Hyde Park Corner and Westminster Abbey to keep military legacy united between nations and generations.
