On the Eve of ANZAC Day

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

One traditional on Anzac Day is the recitation of the Ode which is the fourth stanza of the poem For the fallen by Laurence Binyon. How many people have read the entire poem.

For the fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.
Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables at home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.
But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;
As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Laurence Binyon (1869–1943)

[big_dav_2001 (Davin)]

Whilst not taking anything away from the Ode, which is a beautiful commemorative poem, another poem relating to WW1 is 'Flander's Fields', by Canadian Lt. Col. John McRae... For some reason, this one in particular really moves me.. While not exactly ANZAC, the author was serving as a field surgeon when one of his close friends was killed. The author wrote the poem to honour him, but threw it away unsatisfied about the quality of his words. An officer found the paper and was so moved he sent it home to Britain, where it was eventually printed in the newspaper

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields."

My sincere thanks to those who have fallen, and to those who still contue to serve, your sacrifice has made this country what it is.

Lest We Forget

[Bart]

Great stuff, guys.

I don't think it is taught enough in our schools how much of a sacrifice these people made for our freedom and way of life.

Lest we forget.

[Varangian (John)]

Ataturk's words after WWI really struck home to me when I visited Gallipoli in 1999.

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives … You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us. Where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours … You mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away the tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace after having lost their lives on this land. They have become our sons as well.

Lest we forget...miss you pop.

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

Originally Posted by Varangian

Ataturk's words after WWI really struck home to me when I visited Gallipoli in 1999.

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives … You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us. Where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours … You mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away the tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace after having lost their lives on this land. They have become our sons as well.

Lest we forget...miss you pop.

Truly comforting words. I believe Ataturk had many memorable quotes

https://www.goodreads.com/author/quo..._Kemal_Atat_rk