Anzac Day

[Prospector]

Kennas, we are going to Vietnam in a month. Having lived through the Vietnam War (just a baby though) I am finding it interesting that I will be travelling to Hanoi and visiting the war museum (where it is called 'The American War') Have you travelled to Vietnam? We are not planning to make it a Vietnam War trip, but having seen my brother's friend conscripted to Vietnam as a kiddie, I am really interested in researching this further.

One thing on my list is a visit to Villiers Bretonneux. The people of the village love Australians (mighty unusual for the French) and when my mum visited there many moons ago, the Hotel she was staying at discharged her accommodation bill when they found out her father had served there. The school, which had been decimated by the Germans, was rebuilt by the Victorians after the War. Which is why there are signs in each classroom which say "we must never forget the Australians"

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

A poem from Wilfred Owen on what is now known as PTSD


Mental Cases

Who are these? Why sit they here in twilight?
Wherefore rock they, purgatorial shadows,
Drooping tongues from jaws that slob their relish,
Baring teeth that leer like skulls' tongues wicked?
Stroke on stroke of pain, -- - but what slow panic,
Gouged these chasms round their fretted sockets?
Ever from their hair and through their hand palms
Misery swelters. Surely we have perished
Sleeping, and walk hell; but who these hellish?

-- These are men whose minds the Dead have ravished.
Memory fingers in their hair of murders,
Multitudinous murders they once witnessed.
Wading sloughs of flesh these helpless wander,
Treading blood from lungs that had loved laughter.
Always they must see these things and hear them,
Batter of guns and shatter of flying muscles,
Carnage incomparable and human squander
Rucked too thick for these men's extrication.

Therefore still their eyeballs shrink tormented
Back into their brains, because on their sense
Sunlight seems a bloodsmear; night comes blood-black;
Dawn breaks open like a wound that bleeds afresh
-- Thus their heads wear this hilarious, hideous,
Awful falseness of set-smiling corpses.
-- Thus their hands are plucking at each other;
Picking at the rope-knouts of their scourging;
Snatching after us who smote them, brother,
Pawing us who dealt them war and madness.

 

[Sean K]

P, never been to France unfortunately. Was on the list on the world trip itinerary, but unfortunately, I met my (now) wife who distracted me...lol. Will be there one day!!! Probably end of next year. Yes, been through Vietnam, but only a limited visit. Didn't see all I wanted and must be back. I didn't miss Gallipoli on my round the world trip though, and it was great. Especially when you have a Turkish person telling you how significant it was.

 

[wabbit]

A day of mixed feelings...

It starts when the alarm goes off early in the morning. I get up, have a shower and shave, put on something warm because its going to be a bit chilly in Kings Park (Perth, WA), have a cup of coffee and head off to Dawn Service, where you gaze through the early morning to the hills behind Perth awaiting the sunrise...

Meanwhile I think what it must have been like on the troop ships 93 years ago... the men (boys) getting an early shake, without the pleasures of a hot shower, some of them not old enough to shave, already dressed in their fatigues, with no hot cuppa; standing on the decks looking towards the coast knowing they are not going to stand on a hill waiting for the sun, but storm up a heavily defended cliff...

It's a reflective day.

It rains sometimes in the morning on ANZAC Day and it can be a tad on the chilly side, but getting a little cold and wet isn't too much of a price to pay in my book. Imagine how wet the troops got going ashore in their little boats? (BTW: today was dry in Perth.) At least people aren't shooting at me, so every year, rain or fine, I go stand on a hill and remember the fallen and those still standing...

I think of my mates now, getting up in Afghanistan and Iraq and making preparing to go on their patrols; mates at sea in the Gulf (and other places). No public holiday for them today and no boozing it up their oppos, with the added "bonus" that today someone might shoot at them, again. (I think of them every day.)

It's a nervous day.

In my past, I have had to make preparations to go into "dangerous places". At the time you just do it, because it's what needs doing. It's not until afterwards that you have time to think about it. I remember now the times when everyday I was surrounded by extraordinary people doing extraordinary things in an extraordinary environment. We did it everyday so we thought it ordinary ourselves; but now that you look back at it...

I am thankful that during my service, I was never required to enter open conflict. I once had the warrior ethos (do you ever lose it?) and was prepared to do whatever I needed to, but was never "unleashed". I think about it more now than it ever did, and today of all days, I think about how I would react if ever I was called to "knock on the wood".

It's a scary day.

We see the national pride that flows around the streets and across the media on Anzac Day. On this one day each year we pull out the reserved words like "service", "mateship", "courage" and "spirit" and remember what these things mean. Unfortunately, tomorrow is just another day and these ideals will be boxed up, put away and forgotten until ready to be pulled out again next year.

This morning there were many young people at the Service. Some of them wore their relatives' medals, some of them may not have had serving relatives but turned out anyway to pay their respects. They learn *about* the history in school and with any luck, they will learn the lessons *from* history for when they are the leaders of our society; not just for that one day each year but for every day.

It's a hopeful day.

So at this time on this hopeful, scary, nervous, melancholy, thought-provoking day of remembrance, pride, celebration and reflection, it's time to enjoy the freedoms of our society that so many have fought for and continue to fight for; it's beer o'clock! Cheers.

Lest we forget.



wabbit

 

[2020hindsight]

I think one of the commercial news channels just claimed their footage was from the first (?) Anzac Day Dawn service in Villers-Bretonneux - Yet Wiki would suggest it has been happening for a long time ...

"The annual ANZAC Day ceremony is held at this village on the weekend nearest the 25th April."

N'oublions jamais l'Australie" (Never forget Australia).

I thought I heard a report that (the second day of the battle, i.e. 25 April 1918) the Aussies (who well knew the heroism of the original Anzac Cove landing) went over the edge to cheers of ..

"hey fellas - let's get em ! - it's ANZAC DAY!"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villers-Bretonneux

In the First World War, on 24 April 1918, the village of Villers-Bretonneux was the site of the world's first battle between two tank forces: three British Mark IVs against three German A7Vs. Neither side won, but the next day the village was liberated by ANZAC troops at a cost of over twelve hundred Australian lives. The people of Villers-Bretonneux remain indebted to Australia for this feat. The town's mayor spoke of the Australian troops in 14 July 1919 when unveiling a memorial in their honour:

"The first inhabitants of Villers-Bretonneux to re-establish themselves in the ruins of what was once a flourishing little town have, by means of donations, shown a desire to thank the valorous Australian Armies, who with the spontaneous enthusiasm and characteristic dash of their race, in a few hours chased an enemy ten times their number...

"They offer a memorial tablet, a gift which is but the least expression of their gratitude, compared with the brilliant feat which was accomplished by the sons of Australia...Soldiers of Australia, whose brothers lie here in French soil, be assured that your memory will always be kept alive, and that the burial places of your dead will always be respected and cared for..."

The Australian War Memorial in France is located in Villers-Bretonneux and within it lie the graves of over 770 Australian soldiers, as well as those of other Commonwealth soldiers involved in the campaign. The school in Villers-Bretonneux was built using donations from school children of Victoria, Australia (many of whom had relatives perish in the town's liberation), and above every blackboard is the inscription "N'oublions jamais l'Australie" (Never forget Australia).[1][2]

The annual ANZAC Day ceremony is held at this village on the weekend nearest the 25th April. Traditionally, Australian commemorations have focused on Gallipoli. However, the 2008 ANZAC Day commemoration focused on the Western Front, and the dawn service marking the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I was held at Villers-Bretonneux.

A day of mixed feelings...

It's a reflective day.

It's a nervous day.

It's a scary day.

It's a hopeful day.

So at this time on this hopeful, scary, nervous, melancholy, thought-provoking day of remembrance, pride, celebration and reflection, it's time to enjoy the freedoms of our society that so many have fought for and continue to fight for; it's beer o'clock! Cheers. Lest we forget. wabbit

top post wabbit

 

[2020hindsight]

Indeed it was the first Dawn Service at the site apparently....
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/25/2227647.htm

First dawn service held for troops slain in France
Posted Fri Apr 25, 2008 2:20pm AEST
Updated Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:19pm AEST
A dawn service has been held at the Australian War Memorial in the French town of Villers-Bretonneux to mark the 90th anniversary of an important World War I battle involving Australian troops.

As many as 1,200 lives were lost as Australian troops re-took the town from the German Army in 1918.

It was the first Anzac Day dawn service at the site.

Minister for Veterans Affairs Alan Griffin told the ceremony the battle held great significance.

"The liberation of Villers-Bretonneux came at the cost of some 2,400 Australian casualties," he said.

 

[Julia]

Wabbit: thank you for a thoughtful and touching post. Much appreciated.

 

[numbercruncher]

All of my forebears served in the great Wars, thought I would share the brief tale of one from my mothers side.


Albert Thomas Courtenay Henery enlisted 5.1.1917 after 3 months he boarded a troopship with his comrades to fight for King and country in the Great War.

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion Canterbury Regiment of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

By August 1917 Albert had found himself " In the Field " with 2nd Battalion in Belgium.

October 1917 Private Henery is listed as Killed in Action.

Uncle Albert's final resting place is Tyne Cot memorial , Belgium, he was 17 years old at time of death, a Child soldier.

The following picture is his death plague which as family historian I am entrusted with, the Families of killed in action servicemen all received these during WW1.



* He Died for Freedom and Honour *

In Memory of
Private ALBERT THOMAS COURTENAY HENERY

43976, 2nd Bn., Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
who died
on 12 October 1917
Son of Mr. and Mrs. William James Henery, of 153, Riccarton Rd., Christchurch.
Remembered with honour
TYNE COT MEMORIAL​

They say a whole Generation of Australians and New Zealanders went away to WW1 believing they were British, they also say that those that returned all KNEW they were Aussies and Kiwis.

 

[numbercruncher]

Worth adding that good ole Uncle Albert gave his young life during the Battle of Passchendaele ( also known as the Third Battle of Ypres )

The day Albert paid the ultimate sacrifice 12,000 of his mates joined him.

By the time the Allies had captured Passchendaele they had lost 448 thousand lives and the Germans had lost 260 thousand. The battle was pretty much a stalemate they say.

The following is a picture of Passchendaele village before and after the battle, its really quite unbelievable, everything was pulverised.

I fell in a trench. There was a fella there. He must have been about our age. He was ripped shoulder to waist with shrapnel. I held his hand for the last 60 seconds of his life. He only said one word: 'Mother'. I didn't see her, but she was there. No doubt about it. He passed from this life into the next, and it felt as if I was in God's presence. I've never got over it. You never forget it. Never.

—Harry Patch, last living survivor of Passchendaele, 12/07/2007

 

[noirua]

Australian National Archives - Boer War to Vietnam: http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/explore/defence/conflicts.aspx

 

[Sean K]

All of my forebears served in the great Wars, thought I would share the brief tale of one from my mothers side.

Thanks numbercruncher. Great to hear some personal stories.

 

[Sean K]

Us Australians should not forget that ANZAC includes out friends on the east island. The NZ bit, is of course, New Zealand.

Having served in war with New Zealanders, travelled with them, and visited their country, and understood their level of participation in our battles, I can not tell you how much respect and admiration I have for our friends who have stood by us, and us with them, for so long.

Love you Kiwis!!!

NZ soldier joins ANZAC Bridge 'mate'
April 27, 2008

NEW Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma have dedicated a statue of a New Zealand soldier on Sydney's Anzac Bridge, at a ceremony attended by Australian and New Zealand war veterans.

 

[Buster]

Hey Wabbit,

I think of my mates now, getting up in Afghanistan and Iraq and making preparing to go on their patrols; mates at sea in the Gulf (and other places). No public holiday for them today and no boozing it up their oppos, with the added "bonus" that today someone might shoot at them, again. (I think of them every day.)

In my past, I have had to make preparations to go into "dangerous places". At the time you just do it, because it's what needs doing. It's not until afterwards that you have time to think about it. I remember now the times when everyday I was surrounded by extraordinary people doing extraordinary things in an extraordinary environment. We did it everyday so we thought it ordinary ourselves; but now that you look back at it...

Nice post.. It's funny you know, you hit the nail on the head.. You just seem to take everyone and everything that goes on around you for granted, just the norm.. It's not for some time after do you realise that it was anything but..

Great post in fact..

Cheers,

Buster

 

[2020hindsight]

A poem from Wilfred Owen on what is now known as PTSD

Treading blood from lungs that had loved laughter.
Always they must see these things and hear them,
Batter of guns and shatter of flying muscles,... .

A couple of poems from poetry thread ...
https://www.aussiestockforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=83551&highlight=mustard#post83551


CJ Dennis :-

We 'ear a lot about reward;
We praise, an' sling the cheers about;
But there was debts we can't repay
Piled up on us one single day --
When that first list come out.
There ain't no way to pay that debt.
Do wot we can - there's somethin' yet

 

[Spanning Tree]

It's one thing to revere these soldiers but it's another thing to understand what they fought for. I believe during the World Wars the Australian soldiers fought against fascism and Nazism. They fought for individual freedom. I can't imagine what kind of world we'd be living in if the Nazis won.

 

[Sean K]

I can't imagine what kind of world we'd be living in if the Nazis won.

America.

 

[Djayness]

Yeah my ANZAC day consisted of hearing jets go by and watching nat geo showing all the stories about it.

 

[noirua]

It's one thing to revere these soldiers but it's another thing to understand what they fought for. I believe during the World Wars the Australian soldiers fought against fascism and Nazism. They fought for individual freedom. I can't imagine what kind of world we'd be living in if the Nazis won.

Australia would now be a backyard of Japan, Turkey, Germany and Italy. A nuclear test site where the British left off, with all the coal, iron ore etc', ripped out.

 

[hebrides]

Me? an ex serviceman. Like many of my cohorts I have never been to an Anzac day ceremony and never will. War is best remembered as total folly instigated by those who are well past fighting age.

It is beyond my comprehension how anyone can conjure up visions of noble acts and willing self sacrifice when the reality is young person (friend or foe) lying in his own gore screaming (usually for his mother) while his life ebbs away.

 

[Sean K]

Me? an ex serviceman. Like many of my cohorts I have never been to an Anzac day ceremony and never will. War is best remembered as total folly instigated by those who are well past fighting age.

It is beyond my comprehension how anyone can conjure up visions of noble acts and willing self sacrifice when the reality is young person (friend or foe) lying in his own gore screaming (usually for his mother) while his life ebbs away.

How do you propose we be reminded of the contribution that young person made? At the behest of his government, and country (including you), he's gone off to war to defend his country. Never mind the details, that is it. Odd sentiment from an ex serviceman, but I don't think it's the norm.