Lest we forget

[Dennis]

Thank you to all those brave men and women who protect and serve, whose courage and sacrifice, past and present, have gifted us with the freedoms we enjoy today.

Lest we forget.

Dennis

PS – thanks for the tribute in the header of the website, a nice touch; they will not be forgotten.

[hotspur]

Yes,it is an important day,I hope people take at least a few moments to think about that Dennis.

cheers Chris

[kustard]

Lest We Forget.

[jjjnettie]

Lest we forget.

1st Ord Svc Unit Enoggera(1980-83)

[JohnG]

Lest We Forget

Ex LS QMG (RAN)

[PeterM]

Lest we forget.
PeterM.

[casstony]

I remember that a lot of the soldiers were thrust into a conflict not by choice, and I believe their greatest wish would have been that future generations would not have to experience war. Thus I believe it's our duty to examine the causes of war and consider our own primitive tendencies toward nationalism and domination of others.

[Jeffkop]

Beat me to the thread Dennis ... A toast to every last one of them, thanks from a grateful nation. Salute

[multiweb]

Lest We Forget

[xstream]

For the Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
Australia 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 Australia'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)





Lest We Forget

[Kevnool]

Lest we Forget.
Kevin B

[Hagar]

So easy to forget those that suffered the ultimate sacrifice for us and our wonderful country. Lest we forget.

[hotspur]

Some sunshine from above,for today's important march.

[renormalised]

Lest We Forget

Both sides of my family have very long and proud traditions of military service, in all the services. Something I'm very proud of.

[thunderchildobs]

ANZAC Pictures

1) ANZAC Cove
2) The view from the Nek overlooking ANZAC cover with Sulva Bay in the distance
3) Ataturks speech

[Liz]

Lest we forget.



Must admit that I had tears in my eyes when the 'Last Post' came on the radio at 6am - i was at work, and there was a dawn service going on in the gardens outside our ward. All very moving.
One of the old codgers I was looking after commented that this was the first one he had missed for a long time :sadeyes: ... I wish I had known so I could have taken him out to the service.

[h0ughy]

I attended the March in Newcastle as my son was participating with the Scouts. It bucketed rain but it was a good experience. To all who have served then and now you have my respect.

[Ric]

Lest We Forget

Without these brave souls, we would not have the freedom we enjoy today in all aspects of life.

[garyp]

Lest we forget.

[Nesti]

Lest we forget.


6 RAR
2/4 RAR
1st Avn Regt
5 Avn Regt

[Clarry]

Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

There is a fabulous 3D re-creation of the ANZAC landing on the ABC site. Well worth checking out. Here (http://www.abc.net.au/innovation/gallipoli/gallipoli2.htm).

[Brundah1]

Glad to see our members have considerable appreciation for the spirit and sacrifice of our armed services past and present.

On a personal note, this Anzac day is special. You may have seen the first episode of Kokoda on Ch 2 this week - excellent production.
Subsequently, my father was involved in the actions along the Kokoda Trail that forced the Japanese retreat and defeat at Gona and Buna.

My father's unit 6th Div 2/2Bn AIF was one of the units sent to New Guinea in 1942, that relieved the 39th Militia in the Kokoda Battle and chased the Japanese back over the Owen Stanleys to the northern beaches. During this trek Dad slipped/fell 100ft down a steep ridge with full pack and injured his back, he continued in action for 14 days before he got medical attention. Almost all his unit suffered Malaria and many other tropical deseases.

The severely depleted 39th Bn returned to Australia, as did my my father's unit. The remains of 39th then joined the 2/2Bn and they returned to New Guinea in Jan 1944 for a series of beach landings with American units along the northern coast towards Wewak.

This week marks the 65th anniversary of my father's WIA and the previous loss of one of his battalion's senior officers; Lieut. Albert Chowne VC (post), who saved the lives of Dad and many of his mates.

21 Mar 1945 my father was WIA near Dagua Airfield. he was airlifted to AGH Wewak where a surgeon removed a bullet from the rear of his head. I still have the bullet wrapped in the cotton wool just as he sent it home to his wife. The round came from a scavenged aircraft machine gun with damp amunition, otherwise I would not be here!

He said fighting the jungle and swamps was harder than finding and fighting the Japanese!

Dad passed away after two leg amputations in 2000.

May Dad and many others like him rest in peace.

Lest we forget

[JimmyH155]

at Christmas 1942,the Eighth Army's own weekly paper conducted a poetry competition.
My father was asked by General BL Montgomery to publish a book with the poems in it to be sold for the benefit of the Army Comforts Fund. The book is called "Poems from the Desert" and I have selected part of one as below These poems were all written in the Western Desert when the Desert Army was wholly engaged in "hitting Rommel and all his forces right out of Africa for six."

In the Desert today
What did I see in the Desert today,
Where the frantic lizard runs?
The song of death was shouted forth
As the gunners manned the guns.
The men who'd pledged for Motherland
Their freedom and their lives,
Swore as they sweated in the smoke
To man the twenty-fives.

What did I see in the Desert today,
Beside the rocks and the sand?
I saw the squadrons in the sky
Of Bomber and Fighter Command.
I heard the thunder of their work,
I saw their lightening stroke,
And far accross the skyline came
The rolling clouds of smoke,
Whilst incoherent in their rage
The chattering Bredas spoke.

What did I see in the Desert today?
Relics of what had died.
The pale enammelled shells of snails
Wherein the spiders hide,
And the dark fast-rusting shells of hate
Lie shattered side by side.

What did I see in the Desert today?
Anything new in the "Blue"
I found a crevice in the rocks
Where a single violet grew,
As fresh as in woods and lanes of home -
The green fields once we knew.
And I saw the Faith in the eyes of men,
And I knew their hearts were true.

L Challoner, Bombardier

Lest we forget