ANZAC Day

[macwilkin]

Today is ANZAC (Australia New Zealand Army Corps) Day. On this date in 1915, Australian, New Zealand, British and French forces landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey and marched into history. Today ANZAC Day commemorates all Aussie and Kiwi servicemen and women.

A good friend of mine in Toowoomba, Queensland, once taped the TV coverage of Brisbane's ANZAC Day parade and sent it to me -- it was very moving to see the turnout of thousands of people along the main street in Brisbane, young and old, to honour the "Diggers", especially the young people wearing Dad and Grandad's medals (on the right side).

My friends' grandad, btw, was a Scottish expat who served with the Queensland Cameron Highlanders in New Guinea during the Second World War.

At the ANZAC Day Dawn Service, the following is read:

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.

-- Laurence Binyon, "The Ode to the Fallen"

For more information about ANZAC Day, the Australian War Memorial has a good introduction on their web site:

http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/..._tradition.htm

Lest We Forget.

Todd

[ozmeath]

Today is ANZAC day in Australia and New Zealand. It's a memorial of the fallen in the first world war of both countries.
I think my feelings for this are best summed up by the words of Buffy Saint-Marie:

He's five foot-two, and he's six feet-four,
He fights with missiles and with spears.
He's all of thirty-one, and he's only seventeen,
Been a soldier for a thousand years.

He'a a Catholic, a Hindu, an Atheist, a Jain,
A Buddhist and a Baptist and a Jew.
And he knows he shouldn't kill,
And he knows he always will,
Kill you for me my friend and me for you.

And he's fighting for Canada,
He's fighting for France,
He's fighting for the USA,
And he's fighting for the Russians,
And he's fighting for Japan,
And he thinks we'll put an end to war this way.

And he's fighting for Democracy,
He's fighting for the Reds,
He says it's for the peace of all.
He's the one who must decide,
Who's to live and who's to die,
And he never sees the writing on the wall.

But without him,
How would Hitler have condemned him at Dachau?
Without him Caesar would have stood alone,
He's the one who gives his body
As a weapon of the war,
And without him all this killing can't go on.

He's the Universal Soldier and he really is to blame,
His orders come from far away no more,
They come from here and there and you and me,
And brothers can't you see,
This is not the way we put the end to war.

"Lest we forget"
Erin.

[Kilted KT]

*bows head in respect* Excellent post...so many different meanings in those words...

[Eujeankilt]

*bows head in respect* Excellent post...so many different meanings in those words...

Yes, thanks Oz..............

Dale

[RoderickOfClanMadHaggis]

The pipeband I play in http://www.queenslandhighlanders.com/ had a real busy day yesterday, starting at 5am for a dawn service and parade, followed by two more ANZAC parades, and one show at a Returned Services Club. I was totally exhausted...a really long day, but enjoyable.

[Kilted KT]

The pipeband I play in http://www.queenslandhighlanders.com/ had a real busy day yesterday, starting at 5am for a dawn service and parade, followed by two more ANZAC parades, and one show at a Returned Services Club. I was totally exhausted...a really long day, but enjoyable.

nice pics on your website. Must be rough playing with those bonnie lassies!

and welcome to the forums!

[Southern Breeze]

Excellant post. Thanks.

[Robin]

*bows head in respect*

I also bow my head...

I visited the battlefields in France and Flanders many times...just fields in the middle of nowhere...and it makes me sick over and over again. Thousands died for a few yards of muddy soil.

Sad...very sad.

[Livingston]

Welcome to X Marks! Great photo's of your band.

[macwilkin]

I've merged the two ANZAC Day threads together, hope no one minds!

T.