anzac day

[Pinkbits]

I attended my first dawn service this morning on my way home from work at the Cranbourne RSL and i am so glad i did, it's something i've wanted to do for a while.
A lone piper wandering through the crowd (that i estimate @ around 300) was really haunting & made the hairs on my neck stand up.
The makeup of the people that attended was varied. RSL officials & members, local councillors, police & CFA members & members of the Vietnam vets m/cycle club, as well as the Lions club who were providing breakfast for all.

But what caught my eye the most were the mums & dads with children of all ages, young couples, older couples, a scout group & teenagers in groups as well as by themselves. All there for one reason only.
The RSL were selling dawn service ribbons as well as handing out poppies & glow sticks for the kids. A very nice gesture.
A native New Zealand lady sang their national anthem in maori then sang the national anthems of both countries.
In his speach the club president said that it was great to see the turn out of so many young people & he felt comfortable that when they are gone the tradition will still be upheld with the next generations.
Another thing that made me proud was the respect shown when the piper began to play. People who had hats/beanies etc, immediately removed them.
I'll definately be attending again next year.

Lest we forget.

[Spudz27]

Well I went to dawn service here in Albany (was the place they all got shipped out from), was there as the first aid post, when we arrived we already had 3 people waiting to see us. Very minor things and there were no other problems. Said G'day to the W.A police commissioner and then came home for what will be a rather lazy day. I would have gone to the parade but I only got 1.5hrs sleep between going to bed and getting up for duty (was very restless and had my son up as he would not sleep and my partner was at a hens night).

[Mickxr8]

i attended my dawn sevice this morning. at Bullsbrook RSL a very good turnout this morning. was well impressed with the the people that turned up. (no mobile phones etc).
a big thank you to all that made the effort to go to to the service . about 200 persons .

i have pics of the RSL hall etc. none of the actual service (out of respect ).

will post pics if anybodys interested .

oh . the special pot of tea worked well .

RAAF flyover was pretty cool !!!

[brad24]

How good is it to be an Aussie on Anzac day
This pic was taken today at the dawn service on varanus island

[fordAU]

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.

[Wally]

Originally Posted by mickxr8

i attended my dawn sevice this morning. at Bullsbrook RSL a very good turnout this morning. was well impressed with the the people that turned up. (no mobile phones etc).
a big thank you to all that made the effort to go to to the service . about 200 persons .

i have pics of the RSL hall etc. none of the actual service (out of respect ).

will post pics if anybodys interested .

oh . the special pot of tea worked well .

RAAF flyover was pretty cool !!!

I'd be interested, Bullsbrook = Pearce Airbase was an old stomping ground of mine. Is the Chequers still standing?

[GK]

Originally Posted by Pinkbits

I attended my first dawn service this morning on my way home from work at the Cranbourne RSL and i am so glad i did, it's something i've wanted to do for a while.
A lone piper wandering through the crowd (that i estimate @ around 300) was really haunting & made the hairs on my neck stand up.
The makeup of the people that attended was varied. RSL officials & members, local councillors, police & CFA members & members of the Vietnam vets m/cycle club, as well as the Lions club who were providing breakfast for all.

But what caught my eye the most were the mums & dads with children of all ages, young couples, older couples, a scout group & teenagers in groups as well as by themselves. All there for one reason only.
The RSL were selling dawn service ribbons as well as handing out poppies & glow sticks for the kids. A very nice gesture.
A native New Zealand lady sang their national anthem in maori then sang the national anthems of both countries.
In his speach the club president said that it was great to see the turn out of so many young people & he felt comfortable that when they are gone the tradition will still be upheld with the next generations.
Another thing that made me proud was the respect shown when the piper began to play. People who had hats/beanies etc, immediately removed them.
I'll definately be attending again next year.

Lest we forget.

Mark, your description of the service you attended was very stirring.

I'm proud to be an Aussie every day, but especially today.

Our school had our celebration on Friday. Whole school P-12 lined up in class groups. The founder of our college (ex SAS) spoke for a while, a few songs (We are Australian & National Anthem) were sung and then the haunting Last Post played (real bugler we get each year).Then the eerie silence, broken by the odd vehicle and the sound of the Aussie and College flags flapping at half mast. Then Reveille and the Ode. Great stuff.

Lest we forget.

GK

[HTCURRY]

war is a bastard....

We must remember the Turks/Ottomans had every right to defend their nation.

N this is what Ataturk had to say when it was all said and done....

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives… you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets where they lie side by side here in this country of ours… You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.
—Atatürk 1934

I know of no more respectful tribute to a foe by ANYONE.

The Diggers were without doubt braver than most of us will ever be, and if for no other reason...we would not forget them for this.

[rodderz]

A guy who works for me has spent 7 years overseas travelling, and said the highlight was the dawn service at Galipolli, where the emotions were high, the atmosphere being at the actual location was overwhelming. Definitely would be on a to-do list to experience it. It's certainly pulls at the strings seeing on the just how the diggers flow with emotion with what they experienced at war.

It's amazing how much respect the diggers have towards their ex-enemies now after being at war trying to kill them. There was a story on Sunday tonight where an old Japanese bloke buried an aussie commander at Kokoda and only recently at 90yrs old led the guy's family to where the grave was as he buried him there. A story the other night was about a soldier who died, but on route to a hospital the Jap's stopped shooting to let the guys carrying his stretcher to pass.

[Mickxr8]

Originally Posted by Wally

I'd be interested, Bullsbrook = Pearce Airbase was an old stomping ground of mine. Is the Chequers still standing?

the ol pubs still there but getting run into the ground now thanks to the `new owners`..

[Mickxr8]

a couple of pics.
waited till most people had gone.http://s574.photobucket.com/albums/s...h_anzac003.jpg

[Franco Cozzo]

I was at work, but theres a few WWII/Vietnam veterans there also, we had a big service for them and interupted the racing.

[Wally]

Originally Posted by mickxr8

a couple of pics.
waited till most people had gone]

Thanks Mick. The pair sitting under the rifle.... I have a feeling I should know them.