The Anzac storyline from the Australian television soap opera Home and Away was broadcast over ten episodes from 9–23 April 2015 to commemorate the Anzac Day centenary. Plans for a potential storyline to celebrate the centenary were revealed by actor Ray Meagher in a 2014 interview. He said that it would explore his character Alf Stewart's history with war. The storyline was confirmed in March 2015 and billed as a tribute to the centenary. Director Geoffrey Nottage came up with the idea to honour the anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign and raise awareness among younger viewers of the sacrifices Australians made in all wars. It was described as a "passion project" for Nottage by actor Charlie Clausen, while Meagher called it one of the best storylines he had been given. He hoped that they had done the subject matter justice.
The storyline is told through the eyes of Alf, who is persuaded to join a school excursion to the Australian War Memorial, after learning about the students' lack of respect for Anzac Day. The Memorial visit leads to an attitude change for the younger characters, who realise that the day is about honouring the sacrifice soldiers have made. The plot also touches on the subject of post-traumatic stress disorder, as Alf begins to suffer flashbacks to his time in the Vietnam War and tries to come to terms with it. While the group spend the night in some recreated trenches to learn what it was like for the soldiers of World War I, the pyrotechnics and sounds of gunfire trigger Alf's PTSD and he collapses. The storyline features a guest appearance from retired actor Vincent Ball, whose character Alf meets in the hospital, and concludes with an Anzac Day dawn service.
During the planning stages, scenes were set to be filmed in Europe, but due to financial reasons the storyline was changed to focus on the characters visiting the Australian War Memorial. The scenes were filmed in November 2014 and they mark the first time Home and Away has filmed in Canberra. The scenes involving the recreated trenches were filmed in Camden, New South Wales in a set left over from the 2009 film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The Anzac Day dawn service at the conclusion of the storyline was filmed at the serial's usual outdoor filming location of Palm Beach. The cast had to be on set in the middle of the night in order to film at dawn and the service was filmed in 90 minutes to make use of the natural light. Nottage was nominated for the TV Drama Serial accolade at the 2016 Australian Directors' Guild Awards for the episode in which Alf collapses. The storyline was praised by television critics, with some calling the scenes "genuinely moving", powerful, well written and executed.
Plot John Palmer (Shane Withington) receives notice of a naval reunion in Adelaide for Anzac Day, but he realises he cannot afford to attend and plans to go to the memorial in nearby Yabbie Creek. His wife Marilyn Chambers (Emily Symons) thinks it is a shame that they have no place to honour their soldiers in Summer Bay. John draws up plans for a war memorial in the Bay in time for the Anzac centenary, which his friend Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher) immediately supports. Some of the Summer Bay High students are selected to go on the two-day excursion to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Evelyn MacGuire (Philippa Northeast) tells Alf about the trip and says that she does not see why they are wasting time studying something that happened a hundred years ago. Alf tells his daughter Roo Stewart (Georgie Parker) that the younger generation does not care about Anzac Day and could not say what the Gallipoli centenary means. Roo points out that they just have a different perspective, while Marilyn thinks that the excursion will help them appreciate the sacrifices made. Alf then reveals that he has never been inside the War Memorial despite his grandfather's name being on the Roll of Honour. Marilyn encourages Alf to volunteer as a chaperone and he later agrees to do so. Teacher Zac MacGuire (Charlie Clausen) informs the gathered students that Alf's experience as a Vietnam War veteran will be beneficial, and Evelyn realises she put her foot in it with Alf earlier.
Upon arrival at the War Memorial, Zac asks the students to be respectful, while Marilyn accompanies a hesitant Alf inside. Referring to the medals on display, Evelyn says that it seems wrong to get a prize for fighting, which angers Alf. He goes to the Vietnam War gallery and Jett Palmer (Will McDonald) notices he is affected by the noise of the helicopters. Alf and John hear Matt Page being disrespectful towards the artefacts and Alf declares that the whole trip has been a joke as the kids do not give a damn. The group go outside for a break and Matt takes a couple of photos of his friends. Marilyn tells the group they should be ashamed of themselves for their lack of respect. She orders them to go back inside and take a proper look around. Oscar MacGuire (Jake Speer) stares at a photo of a field of unidentified war graves, Josh Barrett (Jackson Gallagher) looks at a picture of a young soldier, Jett compares a platoon photo to that of the photos Matt took outside, Matt notices a lone mannequin covering his face, Zac finds VJ Patterson (Matthew Little) looking at a wall of soldier's photos, while Marilyn and John look around the courtyard. Alf goes inside the Hall of Memory where he finds Evelyn crying at The Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier. She accompanies him to the Roll of Honour panels, where Alf places a flower next to his grandfather's name. Alf returns to the Vietnam War gallery, where the sounds of helicopters and gunfire cause him to suffer flashbacks to the war.
After leaving Canberra, Zac reveals that the group will be spending the night in a recreated trench to learn about mateship. As night falls, flares go off and noise and debris fill the trench. Zac explains that they will experience what the diggers went through in World War I. Jett notices Alf is missing and leads the search for him. Alf wanders the field amidst the noise and flares, suffering flashbacks before collapsing. Jett finds him in a ditch and the students work together to get him onto a stretcher. Alf complains of chest pains and he is air lifted to the nearest hospital. Dr. Delaney (Jessica Donoghue) explains to Alf and Roo that he has an irregular heartbeat and needs to wait for a cardiologist. Alf reckons the trip to the War Memorial opened the eyes of the students. Their conversation is overhead by fellow patient Tom Knight (Vincent Ball), who converses with Alf. Jett arrives to check on Alf and introduces himself to Tom. Alf comments that Jett reminds him of an old army doctor and Tom asks if he served. Alf tells him he did two tours of Vietnam, while Tom reveals that he was in the Air Force and flew Lancaster Bombers. Tom explains that he spent his 21st birthday in occupied France, before saying that too many boys did not make it home to their families. Alf thanks Jett for looking out for him. Dr Delaney plans to keep Alf in for a few more days, and he realises that he will miss the Anzac Day service.
Tom tells Alf that he has a son, but he has not seen him in years. A frantic Tom later wakes Alf and recalls the time when he lost all six members of his crew after they were shot at and forced to crash land in a field. When Alf wakes up again, a nurse (Emma Playfair) tells him that Tom has died. She packs his belongings and Alf says he will see that Tom's son gets them. He opens a tin containing Tom's medals and cries as he looks at photos of Tom and his crew. Jett decides that those who went to the War Memorial should take control of doing something for the centenary. Josh designs and builds a sculpture, while the others make paper poppies. Alf's tests are delayed, but Roo declares that he will be at the service and Nate Cooper (Kyle Pryor) offers to help. Martin Ashford (George Mason) tells Denny Miller (Jessica Grace Smith) that his brother was in the army and he will spend Anzac Day visiting his grave. Nate and Roo go to the hospital to break Alf out. She tells him that she picked up his grandfather's ashes on the way. The dawn service begins with the beach covered in paper poppies and a lone digger's hat on a rifle in the sand. The community gather near the newly installed sculpture and a choir of students sing "Abide With Me", as Alf, Roo and Nate arrive. Alf tells Jett that Tom died and give him Tom's medals for the day. Evelyn reads "For the Fallen" and Jett recites the "Ode of Remembrance". A bugler plays the "Last Post". In his prison cell, Darryl Braxton (Stephen Peacocke) stands to attention, while Andy Barrett (Tai Hara) and the River Boys lay wreaths in the sea. Alf and Roo go down to the shore and Alf finally scatters his grandfather's ashes in the water.
Production Conception During a May 2014 online interview hosted by the show's British broadcaster Channel 5, Ray Meagher, who plays Alf Stewart, revealed that there was "some talk" about a potential storyline to celebrate the centenary of World War I. He continued: "There's a possibility of a storyline for me there, which will go through my character's history and my family's involvement in the wars. But whether that gets through the powers that be, who knows?" The storyline was confirmed the following year and was billed as Home and Aways "tribute to the Anzac centenary." Meagher said the storyline would be an attempt by a soap opera to honour all servicemen and women across all areas of conflict in the last hundred years. A reporter for The Daily Telegraph confirmed that the plot would air during April 2015 in the lead up to the anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign.
One of the show's long-term directors, Geoffrey Nottage came up with the idea to honour the anniversary. He believed it was important for younger viewers to be aware of the sacrifices Australians made during all wars. Talking to a reporter for the Australian Associated Press, Nottage explained: "I saw great value in doing it and pushed it a long as best I could. It's not about glorifying war but remembering sacrifices because too many young lives were lost and their legacy is what the kids of today will inherit." Actor Charlie Clausen, who plays Zac MacGuire, described the storyline as "a real passion project" for Nottage and praised him for telling the story of Anzac Day.
The story arc is told through the eyes of Alf Stewart, who becomes upset with the younger characters lack of respect for Anzac Day and decides to join their school trip to the Australian War Memorial. The storyline also deals with the issue of PTSD, as Alf recalls his time in the Vietnam War. Meagher felt that it was "the best storyline" he had been given in recent years and he was "humbled" at taking on such an important issue. He also hoped that the show would do the subject matter justice and honour those who had served, adding "The Lest We Forget message is so important and it was great for (the show) to do our bit to recognise that." This is the second time the serial has explored Alf's time in the Vietnam War as part of his fictional backstory. In an episode broadcast in 1997, it emerged that Alf had been wounded during battle and was saved by his friend Jeff Marshall (Jason Montgomery), who later commits suicide.
Storyline development