Anzac Day.

[cenithx]

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.

--

Lest We Forget.

[The Monty]

Lest we forget.
Just got home from the dawn service in Brisbane.
Was unreal, it was my first one. There were so many people it wasnt funny.
Go the ANZACS, we will never forget.

[Night Runner]

Jokes and silly buggers aside, when we want to be strong - unite. Least We Forget.

Cheers guys.

[fordAU]

Lest We Forget.

[SNB05T]

lest we forget dad, all the guys and girls from the hmas sydney (vung tau ferry) will never forget you.
lest we forget

[1600GT]

LEST WE FORGET.

also went to service the today, just at the local RSL, and must admit that i'm ashamed to admit that i'd never been before.
definitly wont be the last i go too... was a moving experience, but something that i think we should all do at some stage in our lives.
i dont think attending is a big ask to pay respect to those that gave a damn sight more...

[Falcon Coupe]

Lest we forget.

[BA Bakes]

Lest We Forget.

[Turboconvert]

lest we forget

though i do not entirely agree with war, i do have complete respect for those that have laid their lives down for us. because of these people, i can object to war, we can be car enthuciasts, we can chose where to live etc etc. my granfather was in the army (even thou he was in training for two years and they were about ready to send him over when ww2 ended) and i have a deep sense of pride and respect.

[WizBang]

The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's; but he has never collected unemployment either.

He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up withhim when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and a 155 mm howitzer.

He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds
and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must. He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional. He can march until he is told to stop or stop until he is told to march.

He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient.
He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never forgets to clean his rifle.

He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his ownhurts. If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low. He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands. He can save your life - or take it,
because that is his job. He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay and still find ironic humour in it all. He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime.

He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, and helped to create them. He has wept in public and in private,
for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed. He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking. In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful. Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom . Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is our own Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.

He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood. And now we even have women over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so. As you go to bed tonight, remember this shot...A short lull, a little shade and a picture of loved ones in their helmets.

Prayer Wheel:
"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen."

When you read this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our ground troops in Afghanistan, sailors on ships, and airmen in the air, and for those in Iraq.

This can be very powerful....

[Fairlane]

Lest we Forget

[FPV8U]

Lest we Forget.

I also went to my first dawn service this morning and it won't be the last that for sure.

[GK]

Thanks diggers (of all conflicts) that answered your country's call, who did your best, who did us proud, who put yourselves on the line for the living and for those who weren't even born yet, to make and keep us free, so we can enjoy the freedoms that each day we largely take for granted.

LEST WE FORGET

GK

[debacle-racing]

LEST WE FORGET.

im off to have a few schooies with some of my pops old mates, he passed away a couple of months ago and this is the first time i havnt marched by his side.

im off to the R.S.L. to get half tanked and empty my wallet on two up. just as he used to in years gone by.

oh, and if your reading this, make sure you buy a legacy badge or make a donation.

[AussieJason]

Lest we forget, and also a thank you to those who are serving our country as we speak.

[Serial_Fool]

To all the heroic men and women in all of Australias conflicts in the short time that we have been a single nation, we thank you.

Lest We Forget.

[Feathers]

Originally Posted by debacle-racing

oh, and if your reading this, make sure you buy a legacy badge or make a donation.

A young male at our local bowling club just won $3400 on the pokies, and when he was approached by a woman asking if he would care to donate to Legacy he asked, "What's that?" When she explained, he told her to "f... off, who gives a s...".

I looked up my Grandfather's service history on the ww2 roll. He was a mechanic and went to the Atherton Tablelands during the war, but was never sent overseas, and spent the majority of his enlistment playing tennis for the Army.

He had it pretty easy compared to some.

All gave some, some gave all.

Lest we forget.

[SNB05T]

it was a good day at the sydney march, can't believe how many people were cheering us (myself and my brothers carried the flag in our fathers honour) very touching.
it was a much better reception to what the vietnam vets got directly after the war finished (abuse, protests and in my fathers case being spat on and rubbish thrown at them).

its just a shame that some people still share these thoughts, two girls vandalising a war memorial in bathurst labelling the diggers muderers! :

[DJR David]

A question people.

I have forgotten so please remind me. The flora worn on the lapel today, is it Rosemary?? If so, (or if not ), why is this worn today.
I know it is the poppy for Armistice day, but what about Anzac day?

Lest we foget.

[Dark Horse]

Back in older times Greek scholars used Rosemary to help improve memory.

Thus the Rosemary is for Remembrance and Commemoration.

Lest We Forget

[DJR David]

Originally Posted by Dark Horse

Back in older times Greek scholars used Rosemary to help improve memory.

Thus the Rosemary is for Remembrance and Commemoration.

Lest We Forget

Great thanks for the info

[AU2PWR]

Lest We Forget

ANZAC was the name given to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps soldiers who landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in the East Mediterranean early on the morning of 25 April 1915 during the First World War (1914-1918).

As a result, one day in the year has involved the whole of Australia in solemn ceremonies of remembrance, gratitude and national pride for all our men and women who have fought and died in all wars. That day is ANZAC Day - 25 April.

Every nation must, sooner or later, come for the first time to a supreme test of quality; and the result of that test will hearten or dishearten those who come afterwards. For the fledgling nation of Australia that first supreme test was at Gallipoli.

[chief]

Least we Forget.

Today was my 4th march and the 7th time I have been to the Regimental lunchon. Its a very moving experience. My sister came to the lunchon for the first time and was in teers for about an hour.

[jaydee]

How's those little slags that desicrated the Bathurst memorial.
Not even a whipping is punishment for that.
I remember a few years back here in Perth some Lezo brigade attacked our Kings Park memorial so it now has a guard on it overnight.
So sad that it comes to this, thankfully its a miniscule percent of small minded, ill informed, misguided drop kicks that resort to this.
I was so pleased to see so many young'uns at the march's, especially at Gallipoli. How awesome would that be, one day I hope to get there.

[debacle-racing]

you know what, bugger the little pr!cks that defaced the memorials around the country.
i bet they dont complain that they speak english.

[normxb]

Originally Posted by Feathers

I looked up my Grandfather's service history on the ww2 roll. He was a mechanic and went to the Atherton Tablelands during the war, but was never sent overseas, and spent the majority of his enlistment playing tennis for the Army.
He had it pretty easy compared to some.
All gave some, some gave all.

Lest we forget.

Feathers , My Dad was a mechanic (Craftsman 2nd class) as well and also trained in Atherton Tablelands , then in WA. He must have been a little earlier than your Grandfather as he was in Morotai (sp) , Tarakan and in Borneo when the war finished . ( I am not taking anything away from your Grandfather because he didn't go overseas , Please don't take it that way , he was prepared to go . )

Some people don't realise how important these soldiers were , my Dad was landing on some of the beaches minutes after the initial landings , their job was to get the trucks and supplies in for the troops . He had been shot at while in the landing craft and also driving up the beaches .

Every soldier was important in their own way .

Photo of Dad in uniform


Dad after his last ANZAC March 25-April-2005 , he passed away 25-May-2005 .

In Rememberance of All those who have Fallen protecting our country .
Lest We Forget

[atec77]

Originally Posted by normxb

Feathers , My Dad was a mechanic (Craftsman 2nd class) as well and also trained in Atherton Tablelands , then in WA. He must have been a little earlier than your Grandfather as he was in Morotai (sp) , Tarakan and in Borneo when the war finished . ( I am not taking anything away from your Grandfather because he didn't go overseas , Please don't take it that way , he was prepared to go . )

Some people don't realise how important these soldiers were , my Dad was landing on some of the beaches minutes after the initial landings , their job was to get the trucks and supplies in for the troops . He had been shot at while in the landing craft and also driving up the beaches .

Every soldier was important in their own way .

Photo of Dad in uniform


Dad after his last ANZAC March 25-April-2005 , he passed away 25-May-2005 .

In Rememberance of All those who have Fallen protecting our country .
Lest We Forget

My condolences on your loss

My maternal Grandfather was gassed on the Somme (mustard gas) and had dreadful lung trouble until his death around 1965, my paternal grandfather being a volunteers engineer was of course made a machine gunner by the Brits and was in Turkey until sent elsewhere to follow his trade, he fought all over the med and During WW2 was mainly in North Africa, both salt of the earth. Two years ago my Father in Law passed, a paratrooper in Europe and then on the Kakoda, won several medals then the Queen gave him the OBE later in life, another special bloke. I was lucky and didn't go to Asia serving only basic training and released but I lost several school friends and work mates through actions across Asia. I hope those who don't understand what the remembrance is learn and appreciate what these people did for following generations . I will never forget.

[Go baby Go]

Whilst it's been about 14 years now, I have been a few times to the Dawn Service at the Shrine in Melb. I can only describe it as one of the most humbling experiences I have had. It puts you at a loss for words - just a "wow" kind of emotion.
Whilst I was born here, I had one grand-parent serve for another country, and my grandfather served for Australia. The conditions were quite different between the two, and with both of them no longer on this great Earth, its getting harder to remember the stories they told.

I did hear on the radio yesterday morning a bloke who was at the Dawn service (35,000 peopple apparantly went) so it was very busy and crowded. Whilst everyone was bustling to get a position, the word "Diggers" was yelled from behind him - and this massive crowd parted and went silent to let a group of slower diggers walk through to get up to the front....... that my friends is yet another one of those moments, and it makes you proud to be part of this nation.

My sister and her other half are out from England and we went to the "G" yesterday for the footy. He was saying they do nothing like we do,noe ANZAC / Australia day celebrations and even for him as a pom he was really "chuffed" to be there, and the last post gave him chills down his spine..... he couldn't believe "what a proud bunch we are........"

[dannyxm]

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.

—Mustafa Kemal

(Mustafa Kemal commanded Turkish 19th division at Battle of Gallipoli, which he faced with nearly all the landings. Later on he became Prime Minister of Turkey.)

I spent the day with the mrs at the ANZAC day march in Sydney, great to see a whole group of people attending, regardless of the weather.

Being of Maltese heritage, i had no relation in the Australian Army, though my grandfather was in the Royal Maltese Artilary during the German / Italian bombings over 2 years in WW2. Seeing him in the march and the whole march collectively is a sight to see, and all Aussies should attend.

I wish to save up for a trip to Gallipoli one year.

Lest we forget.

[adrianb]

Went to the dawn ceremony in Melbourne and then to the march through Greensborough and the memorial service there in the burbs with my gf's family (her old man is Vietnam vet with TPI - he used to be an engineer for Ford before he was forced to quit working in his 30s when things caught up with him).

Utmost respect and gratitude to the diggers both serving today and in the past - they gave their lives for our way of life.

I've spent time visiting my gf's old man in repat hospital when he has turns for the worse and its full of blokes from every war - absolutely top blokes who paid (and still pay years on) not with their lives but with their quality of life,and not just them but their families also. Was the most sobering thing - a bloke my age in his 30s with PTSD who served in Afghanistan and Iraq telling me about missing the birth of his daughter cause he was in a psych hospital - thats alot to sacrifice for your country. Not to go on about it, but it's not just about the blokes who paid the ultimate sacrifice on the battlefield, there's alot of them still alive and still paying every day.

Absolutely everyone should support organisations like Legacy and the various other charities and organisations for returned servicemen. Not all of them have loving supportive families who've stuck by them and unfortunately for a lot of years they didn't get much love or support from the country they fought for either.

Awesome to see all the support here and the growing numbers at memorials and marches.

Lest We Forget.