Anzac Day 2012

[Lucky_Phill]

This important date approachs fast once again.

For information on how to come together with veterans, friends and family, visit this link for Qld people.

http://www.rslqld.org/

A little poem by Banjo Paterson, that was delievered to our troops.

Australia takes her pen in hand,
To write a line to you,
To let you fellows understand,
How proud we are of you.

From shearing shed and cattle run,
From Broome to Hobsons Bay,
Each native-born Australian son,
stands straighter up today.

The man who used to "hump his drum",
On far-out Queensland runs,
Is fighting side by side with some
Tasmanian farmer's sons.

The fisher-boys dropped sail and oar
To grimly stand the test,
Along that storm-swept Turkish shore,
With miners from the west.
The old state jealousies of yore
Are dead as Pharaoh's sow,
We're not State children any more
We're all Australians now!

Our six-starred flag that used to fly,
Half-shyly to the breeze,
Unknown where older nations ply
Their trade on foreign seas,

Flies out to meet the morning blue
With Vict'ry at the prow;
For that's the flag the Sydney flew,
The wide seas know it now!

The mettle that a race can show
Is proved with shot and steel,
And now we know what nations know
And feel what nations feel.

The honoured graves beneath the crest
Of Gaba Tepe hill,
May hold our bravest and our best,
But we have brave men still.

With all our petty quarrels done,
Dissensions overthrown,
We have, through what you boys have done,
A history of our own.

Our old world diff'rences are dead,
Like weeds beneath the plough,
For English, Scotch, and Irish-bred,
They're all Australians now!

So now we'll toast the Third Brigade,
That led Australia's van,
For never shall their glory fade
In minds Australian.

Fight on, fight on, unflinchingly,
Till right and justice reign.
Fight on, fight on, till Victory
Shall send you home again.

And with Australia's flag shall fly
A spray of wattle bough,
To symbolise our unity,
We're all Australians now.




For me, a dawn service at Dutton Park and then onto Yeronga Services Club to buy a beer for and say thanks to, a few diggers. To listen to their stories and draw strength from their achievements, to share the burden of lost mates and to bare witness to history.

Enjoy the day, no matter where you are and please, pause for just a moment to reflect on what good people before us, gave up for us.

Regards

LP.

[terry71]

well said and lets all remember them for what they have done

[mylestom]

Always march and unsure of where this year, depends on the travel plans, but looks like around Central Qld. If not a veteran or Ex-service, please show your support for them on ANZAC Day.

Lest We Forget.

[wags on the water]

Emerald or Capella this year for me.

[Lovey80]

Enoggera out the front of the 2 CER HQ building (end of the Rugby Field), then to the Regiment sportsmans club for a couple of quiet ones ;)

[Feral]

Daughter has been invited to March this year with the Guides so I will probably go. She wants to wear all the relo's medals, dont think her shirt is big enough!.

[castamasta]

Cheers LP, great post mate and good luck to ya.
Lest We Forget
Gav.

[trymyluck]

I'd say I'll be somewhere on route from Newcastle unfortunately, Niece lost her baby over the weekend.

Mark

[banksmister]

Heads up
If your down at the broadwater there is a service held bythe local boat club

Details below



PLEASE SUPPORT ANZACDAY

25TH APRIL
9.00 AM
ON THE BEACH
800 METERS SOUTH OF TIPPLERS

8OO METERS NORTH OF COURAN COVER

NEAR THE AUSSIE FLAG ON THE SAND BAR
LEST WE FORGET

Service by GOLD COAST BOATCLUB
Latitude 27 52.1406’S ............Longitude153 23.8366’E

[Todddo]

Im being made to work from 9am....Didn't even think that was legal.

[RayDeR]

I will read the prayers in the Dawn Service (5.30am) at Greenslopes Private Hospital and then following the gunfire breakfast (free for all who attend) will return home to the Gold Coast to march with the Salvo Band (9.30am) and play for the service (10.00am) at Runaway Bay RSL.

RayDeR

[fisherwoman50]

Lest We Forget.

On Tuesday evening, I'll cook some ANZAC bikkies ... with rosemary, my Grandmother's secret, passed down to me in the Easter holidays many years ago, up at Forster, NSW.
http://www.publicholidaysaustralia.com.au/Anzac%20Biscuits.pdf

With a sprig of rosemary in my buttonhole, it's down to Sydney for the march at 9am (I hope Old Max will be there, this will be his last marching year, if he makes it), and then the return march by the pipe bands, back to Martin Place. We'll wend our way through the city in time for the 1230pm service in Hyde Park, and then off to find some two up in a pub in Elizabeth Street (where the bands adjourn for the afternoon), and after a snooze in the park, finish the day in Martin Place with the sunset service at 5pm.

I shall, as usual, weep through Abide With Me, and in the rose garden in Hyde Park, I shall find a quiet moment to read In Flanders Field.

In Flanders Fields
Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae (1915)

In Flanders fields the poppies blow, Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky , The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe; To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

I can never quite work out what it is that brings me so unstuck on ANZAC Day. But there it is.
Cheers

[Giffo65]

Thanks for the post Phil,I will be at the dawn service to pay respect to those that selflessly gave for us.My Father served in New Guinea at 18 yrs old and his Father RIP 2/17 Battallion at Tobruk at 42 yrs old.Explaining the importance of this day to my kids.

[Crestcutter]

Im heading to elephant rock.Going to be a big day of driving but all worth it to pay my respects To my uncle and grandfather and all that have served.

[PinHead]

i will attend a dawn service..will not march as I am not a veteran same as I don't wear the grandfather's medals..not mine to wear.

I did find an interesting item via the war memorial site..rellie got killed in a trench in france..the poor bugger was taking a nap when a bullet got him..talk about bad luck.

one thing that always seems to go unnoticed..people refer that they fought to give us the freedoms we have today..Australia has only ever, for a short time, been under any threat from an enemy.

The greatest thing that the service personnel of this nation have done..is to fight on foreign soil so that others may have the freedoms we enjoy...that is really part of the Australian make up..to assist others when they need help.

[PinHead]

One of the greatest quotes after the Gallipoli offensive :

"Heroes who 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 Mehmets to us 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. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well. " Mustafa Kemal Ataturk ( the father of modern Turkey )

[Vitamin Sea]

Always remembered Darren, will have a beer for you tomorrow

"They shall not grow old"

[GraemeW]

My Dad used to recite this poem by memory at RSL reunions when he had a get together with his army mates.
Sadly there are not many of them left.
I used to hear the emotion in his voice as he said each word.
I found his hand written version of the poem when having a clean up.

At the end of the poem he wrote:
The verse "Those faded Suits of Green" written by a Rebecca Morton of North Queensland appeared in the Womans Weekly prior to September 1943.
We were in hot pursuit of the enemy through Salamaua entering the township on the 12 September 1943.

Although suffering a bout of malaria with a raging temp of 102.4 I picked up two pages of the Weekly which included the verse.
The beauty of the town with the large isthmus was not appreciated at that time.
I understand that today Salamaua is regarded as the Gold Coast of New Guinea, the venue for holidays & weekend celebrations by visitors from other parts of the mainland.


Those Faded Suits of Green

I am standing at my window
I can hear the tramp of feet
I can hear the soldiers marching
Down the busy roads and the street,
They are coming into vision
Now they can be plainly seen
That swinging line of figures
In their faded suits of green!

Suits that went into the dye-pots
In a hurry as you know
For the Jap was at our doorstep
A crafty, cruel foe;
Not time for fuss or finish
Very little lay between
Those swarming hordes of Nippon
And those faded suits of green!

The dye came out in patches
Of pale yellow, green and brown;
They were fashioned for the jungle
Not for touring round the town;
They were not meant for dandies
Just to strut in or to preen
They were made for men of action
Streaky, faded suits of green!

There were men who went to outposts
To the flies, and dust and heat,
To monotony and boredom
No offensive, no retreat;
And they missed the path to glory
With their mates at Alamein;
They were left to guard Australia
In their faded suits of green!

On the battlefields of Papua
On the shores of Milne Bay
On the road to far Kokoda
And down the Gona-Buna way;
Through fever-stricken jungles
Where the Nippon lurked unseen
Into slime, and slush and slaughter
Went those faded suits of green!

Pressing onward, ever onward
Rivers crossed and pathways strange,
Facing death, defying danger
On the Owen Stanley range;
Up the cliffs and down the valleys
Through the deep and dark ravine,
Torn and tattered, splashed with crimson
Glorious faded suits of green!

Standing, watching at my window
My thoughts wing as before
To the ricefeilds of Malaya
To the docks of Singapore;
To the prison camps of Nippon
Where the loved ones gaunt and lean
Weary, wait to be rescued
By those faded suits of green!

They are coming, captive soldiers
Tho’ the way be grim and hard
They will fight on to a finish
Inch by inch, yard by yard;
For no suits of shining armour
Worn by knights before a Queen
Ever held such pride and honour
As those faded suits of green!

When the bells of peace are ringing
As they did in days of yore
When the hated sounds of war drums
Shall have ceased for evermore;
When we live in love and laughter
And happiness serene
Oh, Australia, please remember!
Those faded suits of green!

Poem sung to the tune of the song “To the Shores of Tripoli”.