Across the country this ANZAC Day morning, Australians stood in their driveways with a candle, a photograph, or perhaps some medals, as both amateur and professional musicians chimed in with ‘The Last Post’.

It was a different type of ANZAC Day this year, with social distancing measures in place ensuring that dawn services couldn’t take place.

That wasn’t going to stop Aussie musos from honouring the servicemen and women, with a time-honoured military tradition falling into the hands of neighbours and friends, to share a bugle call on this most solemn of days.

The plan of musical action began in April when legendary jazz musician James Morrison put the call out for brass players around the country to help their fellow Aussies.

“It’s about celebrating ANZAC Day by playing ‘The Last Post’. All you need to do is stand in your driveway at 6am on ANZAC morning and play,” he said.

‘The Last Post’ is the bugle call that signifies the end of the day’s activities in the military, and is also sounded at funerals to indicate that a soldier has gone to their final rest.

Andy Lee plays ‘The Last Post’ on ANZAC Day:

Aussies took up the call in droves, with so many downloading the song that it shot to #1 on the Australian iTunes Chart over the past 24 hours. Those without instruments played the song on portable speakers.

And of course, our fellow ANZACs across the ditch also got in on the act, with musicians across New Zealand standing in solidarity and performing the tune as well.

It wasn’t just about trumpets either.

https://twitter.com/jesuisloulou/status/1253778887256883200

Even my parents, who each took up instruments later in life, made our family proud by treating their neighbourhood to renditions of the tune on the french horn and clarinet respectively.

Lest We Forget.

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