Anzac Day: Diggers remembered at home and afar
Grey skies and the wet didn’t deter thousands attending the Anzac Dawn Service at the Shrine.@3AW693 pic.twitter.com/1G9dXfCWQx
? Denis O’Kane (@DenisOKane3AW) April 24, 2017
A sea of umbrellas has surrounded the Shrine of Remembrance as thousands gathered in the rain for the Anzac Day dawn service.
The service under grey skies concluded at 6.30am.
The rain did not have a large impact on the crowd this morning, in fact some remarked the low cloud and drizzle added to the eerie atmosphere.
‘It didn’t deter me,’ one man said. ‘In fact, it probably did the opposite. A bit of discomfort is a small price to pay (compared to) what the men and women who served out country did.’
Despite the rain, thousands pay their respects at dawn in Melbourne #AnzacDay #LestWeForget @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/LdXFY5PSCY
? a a ? o n (@aaronlangmaid) April 24, 2017
Other commemorations will continue at the Shrine throughout the morning, with the traditional march along St Kilda Rd starting at 9am.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has made an unannounced visit to Australian troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Australia has 270 defence personnel deployed mostly in the Afghan capital, Kabul.
Since 2002, 42 Australian troops have been killed in Afghanistan, and two in Iraq.
It has been an honour to meet the servicemen and women in the Middle East, to thank the Anzacs of today for their service. pic.twitter.com/MrkGH1f6AZ
? Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) April 24, 2017
Anzac Day services will also be held overseas, including at Villers-Bretonneux in France.
Heightened security is in place across parts of the country after a police officer was shot dead in central Paris last week.
Minister for Veterans Affairs Dan Tehan says he’s confident authorities will keep people attending services in France safe.