Happy ANZAC Day! (1 Viewer)

[MCKENNA77]

Yes I know I'm a bit early on this as ANZAC day is April 25th around here. For those of you like me, ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand army core. ANZAC day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, originally commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all those who died and served in military operations for their countries(Wikapedia source).

I can only imagine the peril and sights witnessed by those at Gallipoli. Days like this to me are a reminder that war is the product of total and complete failure in human relationships.

A very special shout out to the Sons of Sumner.

 

[Rob]

Well said Chris. Here's to the memory of all those from Australia and New Zealand who fought and died in both Wars and whose bravery and courage helped the allied cause so greatly, deepest respect to them. Have a great day guys.

Rob

 

[waynepoo]

Well said Chris. Here's to the memory of all those from Australia and New Zealand who fought and died in both Wars and whose bravery and courage helped the allied cause so greatly, deepest respect to them. Have a great day guys.

Rob

Yes I know I'm a bit early on this as ANZAC day is April 25th around here. For those of you like me, ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand army core. ANZAC day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, originally commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all those who died and served in military operations for their countries(Wikapedia source).

I can only imagine the peril and sights witnessed by those at Gallipoli. Days like this to me are a reminder that war is the product of total and complete failure in human relationships.

A very special shout out to the Sons of Sumner.

Thank you Rob and McKenna,
Tomorrow is a very special day for Australians and New Zealanders, all through both World Wars and the many since Diggers and Kiwis have always keep their unique sense of humour under the most horrific of conditions, these are a small example of that humour via three cartoons of the era.
Wayne.

 

[Jack]

Its actually a bit of a shared day with our friends in the UK, but not just because we fought as allies.

Twenty percent of the 1st AIF (Australian Imperial Force) were born in the United Kingdom, which always surprises people given that the day is mythologised as marking the 'birth of Australia'. I have no statistical evidence to support it, but I believe the toughest of them were mainly Queenslanders.{sm4}

Of the first 30000 or so who enlisted, only 7000 survived to the end of the war which are not great odds. I suspect that post war reunions for the BEF of 1914 were rather grim affairs as well. When I discuss the stupidity of remarks like 'the Brits sacrificed colonial soldiers' which you still (unbelievably) hear occasionally, I always mention that 'contemptible little army' that sacrificed itself in 1914. (Rob, the summer of '40 gets a mention as well

Advance Australia Fair!

 

[Fitzgibbon]

Not bad Jack - but given that Australia had only been constituted for 13 years, a digger born in "Australia" would have been very young indeed...I'm off to the Dawn Service with a vet' from the Vietnam War in the dark of the morning but I often wonder about 'Lest we forget' - there ought to be something more to remembering than that lots of folk died...and I was impressed that people at Ypres 'remember' every day of every year...the Menin Gate is an experience that is difficult to forget. Perhaps that is why so many young folk now make the pilgrimage to Gallipoli - to feel it as an experience...Here's to everyone having a good experience of ANZAC DAY.

 

[Rob]

Its actually a bit of a shared day with our friends in the UK, but not just because we fought as allies.

Twenty percent of the 1st AIF (Australian Imperial Force) were born in the United Kingdom, which always surprises people given that the day is mythologised as marking the 'birth of Australia'. I have no statistical evidence to support it, but I believe the toughest of them were mainly Queenslanders.{sm4}

Of the first 30000 or so who enlisted, only 7000 survived to the end of the war which are not great odds. I suspect that post war reunions for the BEF of 1914 were rather grim affairs as well. When I discuss the stupidity of remarks like 'the Brits sacrificed colonial soldiers' which you still (unbelievably) hear occasionally, I always mention that 'contemptible little army' that sacrificed itself in 1914. (Rob, the summer of '40 gets a mention as well

Advance Australia Fair!

Thank you my friend:salute:: I hope you and all our Australian friends and forum members have a superb day.

Rob

 

[Mitch]

have a great day
Mitch

 

[lancer]

To the memory of all the Australians and New Zealanders, of all their armed forces, you are not forgotten. Everyone have a great ANZAC Day. -- Al

 

[uksubs]

Have a great day

 

[Louis Badolato]

Happy ANZAC day to all our cousins from down under, especially my good mate Howard! Thanks cobber, for being there in the 60's, and today!:smile2:

 

[waynepoo]

LEST WE FORGET.
Wayne.

 

[The General]

As a former Australian Regular Army soldier (1986-1989) may I say thank you for the respects paid to our ANZACS by our UK & US based forum members. Cheers guys.


Lest we forget.

 

[jules118]

An emotionally charged day for me as I watch the flag waving and politicians basking in the reflected glory of the sacrifice made by our service men and women. It's great to catch up and have a beer with mates some of whom I have not seen for a while. But in the quiet times I think about mates who are no longer here, some died in uniform and some by their own hand as a result of the trauma of their service and the lack of support subsequently. And as I watch the politicians make their speeches and say how grateful they are, I remember the lack of compassion that they showed when dealing with the long time girlfriends and spouses of my mates who died whilst on duty and how they recently moved to shore up their own entitlements but have done little to protect veterans superannuation or entitlements.

There's a reason why you hardly ever see a politician's son in uniform. Lest we forget.

Sorry, it's probably not the kind of rah rah post that is expected here, just something I had to say

 

[TomNT]

Yes I know I'm a bit early on this as ANZAC day is April 25th around here. For those of you like me, ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand army core. ANZAC day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, originally commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all those who died and served in military operations for their countries(Wikapedia source).

I can only imagine the peril and sights witnessed by those at Gallipoli. Days like this to me are a reminder that war is the product of total and complete failure in human relationships.

A very special shout out to the Sons of Sumner.

Sorry i am a bit late on this thread but very well said Chris and to everyone else on this thread, great comments as well.

Lest we forget our fallen comrades.

Tom

 

[ucla1967]

Happy ANZAC Day to all our friends in Australia and New Zealand.

 

[The Military Workshop]

Hi Guys,
Just watched the Brisbane parade on TV and soon will be the dawn service from Gallipol. Now showing WWII propaganda type footage on Beaufort bomber production.

For those overseas might be interested in the following :
5,000 US Navy participated in ANZAC Day events in Perth today.
100 US Marines marched in Darwin Parade (250 now based there and will rise to 2,500)
Overseas groups marching in Brisbane included : Kiwis, British (incl Royal Marines contingent), Americans, French , Greek, Serbs, South Vietnamese, Rhodesian and South African.

So not just a day on commemoration for ANZACS but for all.

Just googled but not seen parade footage uploaded yet. Worth a look as will get a feel for what it is like.

I think one of the reasons ANZAC Day such a big event is that so many families have relatives who have served.
WWI, WWII, Korea, Malaya/Borneo, Vietnam, Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan and others places such as peacekeeping and humanitarian missions in Somalia, Rwanda, Rhodesia, Cambodia, East Timor, Sierre Leone, Middle East, Indian Ocean (tsnami relief) are remembered.
Regards
Brett

 

[larso]

We had a lovely service at school yesterday. We invite local vets and about 15 came. They parade to a place of honour and are afterwards given a morning tea and a chance to chat with senior students. One old former servicewoman raised a few of my students eyebrows when she reminiced about all the US servicemen she'd been with! I got to chat to a Rat of Tobruk vet, who was very switched on for 90! He told me of shooting one German captain at Alemain, and having to spend the next couple of hours lying next to him and hear him calling for his mother as he died. Yikes! So yes, there are many things about Anzac Day, not all of them easy to remember or digest.

 

[wayne556517]

An emotionally charged day for me as I watch the flag waving and politicians basking in the reflected glory of the sacrifice made by our service men and women. It's great to catch up and have a beer with mates some of whom I have not seen for a while. But in the quiet times I think about mates who are no longer here, some died in uniform and some by their own hand as a result of the trauma of their service and the lack of support subsequently. And as I watch the politicians make their speeches and say how grateful they are, I remember the lack of compassion that they showed when dealing with the long time girlfriends and spouses of my mates who died whilst on duty and how they recently moved to shore up their own entitlements but have done little to protect veterans superannuation or entitlements.

There's a reason why you hardly ever see a politician's son in uniform. Lest we forget.

Sorry, it's probably not the kind of rah rah post that is expected here, just something I had to say

Well said mate will have a beer for lost but never FORGOTTEN mates.

 

[waynepoo]

Happy ANZAC Day to all our friends in Australia and New Zealand.

Thanks Mike, A nice parade of 5th Battalion A.I.F.

 

[Obee]

I'm back now from the ANZAC Parade in Perth.

The steets were lined with flag waving crowds, all suporting the scarifce made by so many.

I also placed a buch of flowers on my Uncle's Memorial Tree in Kings Park,

an 18 yo kid who left these shores in 1916, and who now lies in France.

More details here http://members.upnaway.com/~obees/soldiers/jack.htm

Afterward that I went back to my old unit for some well erned 'liquid refeshment' luch and fellowship.

Lest We Forget

John