Its ANZAC day and I hope everyone stops today and remembers the hero's that made our countries great for ever and ever. If it was not for them and all of our other servicing military personal past and present we would probally not be enjoing our dark skies in peace. Nice one iceman for putting the banner on top of this page.
LEST WE FORGET .....
It's up to us, every one of us, to make sure that these words have meaning in the years ahead.
I pray that our country will never have to go to war again, yet I also pray that if we do then men like those who fought to preserve our freedom in the past will stand up and be found amongst us again.
And Yes, a big "well done" to Mojo / Mike on the great banner logo today that replaces our usual "starry sky" up above.
For those who may come in late and missed seeing it....
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
Australia mourns for her children across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.
Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrows up into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our stars.
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 in the morning
We shall remember them.
They mingle not with laughing comrades again,
They sit no more at familiar tables of 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 inner most 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.
I pray that our country will never have to go to war again, yet I also pray that if we do then men like those who fought to preserve our freedom in the past will stand up and be found amongst us again.
AMEN
Lets not forget we have Aussie sons & daughters oversees as we type. We are proud of them.
I have just got back from our local Dawn Service, being ex Navy......
TO ABSENT SHIPMATES
Let this be an ode...
To the men who will never sail again...
The men, who in the glory of their proud spirits...
And the unselfish madness of their heroism...
Have reached their Harbour on the other side...
Age shall not weary them...
Nor the years condemn...
May peace and tranquility...
Be theirs, Always.
Closure can now be had for the family's of the crew of HMAS Sydney (11)
Terry designed the banner, credits go his way. Looks great Terry.
I've always taken the time to think about the ANZACs and what they have done for our country, but it's only recently that I've really begun to understand what they went through.
It started late last year when I read a book my wife leant me, "An Anzacs Story - the memoirs of Roy Kyle". It was the story/memories of one anzac, but Bryce Courtney filled in the gaps with the history and other facts about the war. It really had me hooked.
I then borrowed a book from the library about the Light Horse Brigade from WWI - not the ones in the middle east but the ones that trained at Egypt and then went to Gallipoli as normal infantry. They fought and died in the bloody battle at "The Nek". Thanks to incompetent leadership they didn't stand a chance. The movie "Gallipoli" starring Mel Gibson and directed by Peter Weir was based on that story. I also watched that movie recently.
I was now hooked even more.
I bought the book "The Great War" by Les Carlyon at Xmas. It didn't cover the Gallipoli campaign because his previous book had already covered that. This was the whole story of the War in Europe, mainly the diggers and their war in France including The Somme. I had little previous knowledge of the disaster that was the war in Europe - what an absolute shambles. Thousands of men sent to their death for absolutely zero.
My family and I went to Canberra over the Xmas holidays and visited the Australian War Memorial - WOW. What an absolutely eye opening and heart wrenching experience. The "Tomb of the Lone Soldier" was incredibly through-provoking and emotional.
We didn't even get to see the whole tours, we only got through the WW1 and WW2 displays cause we spent so much time taking in the amazing models and dioramas. What a great experience.
I've now literally (just last night) finished reading "Kokoda" by Peter Fitzsimmons. Obviously it's the story of the ANZACs campaign on the Kokoda Track - again showing the diggers struggle through amazing odds, outnumbered 6 to 1, under supplied, ill-equipped, yet they still held off the Japanese and turned them around.
What the ANZACs have had to go through in war is absolutely incredible, hard to even believe that they can survive through it. It seems a common theme back in those early wars that incompetent leadership and a hang-up of the past with leaders who want to "charge" and send their men to their death - with absolutely no chance of reaching their objective. Officers who have to blindly follow orders, knowing full well that it means certain death for them and their men.
Lest we forget. Brings a lump in my throat and a tear to my eyes when I am reminded of the bravery and self sacrifice of these courageous men and women. They will not be forgotten.
Thanks for posting those powerful, inspiring yet haunting words John (xstream) and JonhG. A nice touch with the Banner Terry - makes the day and the memories very special indeed.
I don't know how many of you have/had members of your family serve in the armed forces, but my grandfather was a Gallipoli vet and also fought in Europe at the Somme, amongst other places. His brother, uncle and cousins were also Gallipoli vets as well. Dad and my uncles were WW2 vets....Dad was at Tobruk and later on also in New Guinea. One of my uncles was a POW at Changi and spent some time on the Burma Railroad before being taken to Kobe, in Japan, to work in the coal mines. Dad also had cousins that served in the Battle of Britain as fighter pilots and in the RAN. Some of my cousins served in Vietnam....and both myself and my brother were members of the Reserves. The tradition of service runs pretty deep in my family and I am for one extremely proud of what my family has done for Australia. As I am proud of all those others that have served to keep us a free and independent nation.
TO all our fallen heros and the brave servicemen and women who returned.
Thank you for your sacrifice we will never forget you. the legend of the ANZACS will live on forever.
I have a mate in the SAS at the moment and he just disappears from time to time and we never know where he is. At the moment he is obvioulsy away fighting somewhere because we have not ehard from him for 3 months.
My thoughts on this day particularly go to the living veterans, many of whom came home with terrible mental scars and have suffered in silence over the years. For anyone who has an interest in history, there is an excellent ABC radio Series which can be downloaded as podcasts called "Prisoners of war...Australians under Nippon" I've have downloaded all episodes, but only listened to a couple so far, it's a fascinating and moving insight in to what our soldiers suffered at the hands of the Japanese. I thought I understood the suffering that Australian soldiers suffered but the stories, told by survivors, put a true perspective on the horrors of war.
I'm an Englishman. I arrived in this country in 1955 as an eleven year old.
I respect and honour those Australians who travelled so far in order to assist in the protection of the Empire. I think it was Winston Churchill who planned the attack on Turkey (I'm open to correction on that) which turned out to be a total disaster for all involved - apart from the Turks.
I also admire and respect the Turks for what they did to protect their homes, their beliefs and their country when approached by an incredibly strong and dedicated foe. The ordinary soldier, foot or otherwise, does what he's told - after all that's the ethos of being a soldier.
When I commemorate ANZAC day or Armistice Day I cannot but remember the enemy and its brave men any more than I could forget those of our allies. We were not alone.
It's odd really, isn't it? We lost a campaign and then adopted it as some form of initiation to warfare to protect the 'mother country'. In WWII 'the mother country' became Australia - rather than the 'Empire'. The enemy then was, of course, Japan.
I waffle. Regardless of the politics, regardless of the results and regardless of any zealotry that might be involved I salute those who fought and those who died in conflicts which were - in all probability - beyond their control.
