Anzac Day

[Joeve]

Lest we forget.

I was so happy to see so many people turn out to our local service this morning, it seems to get bigger every year!

[Maruschke]

I took DD1 to a march this morning and she made me so proud. She was yelling out "thank you" to the old vets. So.. thank you.. to those who have served in the past and are serving now, and thank you to the families of all those people. May we never forget the sacrifice they made for us.

[nothing2lose]

Anzac Day has always felt a little problematic to me, for reasons I don't think appropriate to go into.

Both my grandad's fought in World War Two. One, who is 92, was at Kokoda. He is still extremely active doing charity work for PNG and is the editor of his Battalion newsletter. I think Anzac Day is great for him and his mates to share and remember their experiences and commemorate their friends who didn't come home.

My great grandfather was at Gallipoli. But, thankfully for me, he came home.

But the one person I remember this past year or two is my great uncle Hew. He was 18 or so when he joined up. Single and probably looking for a bit of adventure. He went to Syria, North Africa, France, then down south to Malaysia. There he was captured by the Japanese and was a prisoner building the Thai Burma Railway for four years. Unlike thousands of others, he was lucky enough to survive starvation, dysentery, malaria, typhoid, exhaustion and a million other things. He was "selected" as one of a couple of thousand prisoners to be transported to Japan to be slave labour for the war effort. After marching for weeks (during
which many died) they boarded a Japanese 'hell ship' called the Rakuyu Maru and started their journey. Apparently they were packed in like cattle. A few days into their journey they were spotted in the Sea of
Japan by The USS Pampanito and the USS Sealion. They were fired upon. Over 1000 POWS were killed,
either dying from the torpedo blast or drowning in the Sea of Japan. My great uncle Hew was one of them. He was 23.

To me, this is what Anzac Day is about. The complete and utter waste of life that war commands.

I often look at my Great Uncle Hew's picture because it disturbs me that he will be forgotten. He had no
children. He has no gravesite. There is a plaque somewhere in Malaysia commemorating the event. But that's it. He looks eerily similar to one of my brothers. And young. So young.

This Anzac Day I will be silently reaffirming my own commitment to peace and non violence. Because, to me, that, and remembering all those like Uncle Hew who never came back, is what Anzac Day is really about.

RIP Uncle Hew.

[Phteven]

To me, this is what Anzac Day is about. The complete and utter waste of life that war commands.

Yes.

What a fabulous post N2L. I can't make Anzac busciuts without thinking of the first women who made them in such a different world than ours. I think it's hard to imagine the lack of connectness - that the biscuits a woman made and sent with love could pass the letter home that said he would never eat them. For me during Anzac day I think of the women and children and the toll that war takes on families and how terribly unfair it could be. There is a park near our house named for the family who used to farm that land. They sent 3 sons to WW1 and not one of those men came home. Such a terrible, wicked loss of life - young men dying to protect the wealth of old men. And it seems so much more senseless because we don't learn.

I found a picture of a sopwith for my boys today because my Grandfather flew one in WW1. I think they're having a hard time comprehending that people actually went up in them. TBH I do too.

[LionsandBears]

My brother served. He survived but I know it's damaged him.

I especially honour my Great uncle Alan today, who served in the Middle East and Malaya during WW2 and Grandma, who was a nurse. Also my cousins who served in Vietnam.

ANZAC Day is one of the few days I hold sacred. Most of those who lost their lives were kids. They gave that we may live.

[Traveller]

Wilfred Owen (1893 - 1918)

Dulce Et Decorum Est

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Gas! GAS! Quick, boys! - An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime...
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, -
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.

[Freya]

I think you can look at it both ways N2L. I know most people dont shed tears of pride on Anzac Day without shedding tears of sorrow that war was even needed. We miss our loved ones, the comrades that have made the ultimate sacrifice. I also think about how on earth people survived during the war, both fighting and at home. How any mother coped with receiving more than one telegram stating their son or daughter/s had died; so senseless. I can empathise with that.

I also think though that its a day for reflecting on the amazing strength and courage of humble human beings. Of the selfless sacrifices made by all at those times. About the need for peace and equality; and those who strive to achieve it. About people and countries who were liberated because of those lives lost. About the strength and love of family and community. You probably wont ever see a country banding together like that ever again. I think it celebrates the Australian way that seems to be slowly slipping away these days; putting aside differences to move forward and survive.

Its a sacred day for me to L&B. Always has been and always will be. More important than any other holiday celebrated.

[~clover~]

Last year I was at mum & dads for ANZAC day. We went to the service & that night had a big talk with the kids (mainly DD1) about it. An uncle of dads was a POW. The stories are horrible.

Others were medics. All thankfully came home.

A friend I went right through school with & his brother have also served.

Tomorrow DD is speaking at the school service. Will be a very proud day for us.



LEST WE FORGET

[Melbournemumma]

We took our boys to the Dawn Service at Daddy's work. They were so well behaved. I am so incredibly proud of my husband and the job that he chose to do. I chose him and this life and I don't regret it for a moment. I know that DS1 loves seeing his Daddy all dressed in uniform. We stood in the rain, remembered those who have served surrounded by those currently serving. I remembered my Grandfather who died 2 years ago on ANZAC day, he served in WW2.

Lest we forget!

[Lulliloo]

I spent the day with my sis and niece and grandad in our home town.
we watched him march and had lunch with him. it was lovely
he fought in WW2 and was in new guinea. not on kokoda but just as awful terrain.
he looked so handsome in his suit with medals on today.
i love my grandad but am sad that he ever had to go through that. he lost many friends in battle and i am lucky to even have him

Thank you to all that serve past and present. if only you didn't have to.

Lest we forget

[Astrolady]

R.I.P Andrew. I will never forget you buddy (killed in Afghanistan). Also sending lots of love to my brother currently serving, which is tearing my mum up inside.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

My cousin marched with his dog this year & his wife wore her medals on the sidelines.
Very proud of the 2 of them for everything they do for our country!


Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!