Hundreds gathered at the dawn service at Gallipoli where thousands of New Zealand soldiers died in 1915, and a two-year absence because of COVID-19 has made the ceremony that much special.
With poppies on their chest, sleeping bags in hand and the spirit of their ancestors in their hearts, Kiwis and Aussies came together again on the shores of Gallipoli wearing the warmth on their faces.
"Makes you well up a bit already, I think the morning will be pretty emotional," one told Newshub.
"I think it's so important to us and to be here is special," another said.
From the going down of the sun, overnight and into the morning the Anzacs were remembered.
With commemorations on a COVID-19 forced hiatus for two years, the dawn of this year's April 25 broke that much brighter in Gallipoli.
"To sort of wake up with it [you get] a much sort of stronger sense of what it would have been like," one told Newshub.
"To have New Zealanders, Australians and the Turkish all together, was pretty powerful this morning."
It was New Zealand that lead the ceremony this year.
"We remember them all and we take comfort in knowing that Turkey continues to look after them," Veteran minister Meka Whaitiri said.
Sharing words and silence in honour of the young men who fought at Gallipoli in unimaginable conditions.
Confronted with narrow beaches, high cliffs and a maze of ridges, it was an eight-month campaign of unforgettable bravery.
This is why for 107 years, the Anzac pilgrimage to the peninsular has continued, and this year the sense of togetherness is stronger than ever.
"Because of COVID we just haven't been around Kiwis - and it's nice to hear our accent," one said.
Due to the war in Ukraine and the ongoing uncertainty around COVID-19, attendance numbers are down this year. The usual thousands have been replaced by hundreds.
While the Last Post is a familiar one for most, hearing it at Gallipoli and experiencing this dawn is different.
The sort of morning you don't want to forget, dedicated to the heroic men we never will.
