ANZAC Day

[sapi]

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.


For those who don't know

[InsaneApache]

To the ANZACS!

Will you be having a 'gunfire' breakfast?

[naut]

Well it gets me out of double Modern History (Russian history that encompasses nothing other than statistics and the economy ).

Just a general fact about Gallipoli, 10 times more Turks and 6 times more Brits died than ANZACS. Also 50% of those who died on both sides died of disease.

Lest We Forget.

[Pannonian]

Now when I was a young man I carried me pack
And I lived the free life of the rover.
From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback,
Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over.
Then in 1915, my country said, "Son,
It's time you stop ramblin', there's work to be done."
So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun,
And they marched me away to the war.

And the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
As the ship pulled away from the quay,
And amidst all the cheers, the flag waving, and tears,
We sailed off for Gallipoli.

And how well I remember that terrible day,
How our blood stained the sand and the water;
And of how in that hell that they call Suvla Bay
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter.
Johnny Turk, he was waitin', he primed himself well;
He showered us with bullets, and he rained us with shell --
And in five minutes flat, he'd blown us all to hell,
Nearly blew us right back to Australia.

But the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
When we stopped to bury our slain,
Well, we buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs,
Then we started all over again.

And those that were left, well, we tried to survive
In that mad world of blood, death and fire.
And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive
Though around me the corpses piled higher.
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head,
And when I woke up in me hospital bed
And saw what it had done, well, I wished I was dead --
Never knew there was worse things than dying.

For I'll go no more "Waltzing Matilda,"
All around the green bush far and free --
To hump tents and pegs, a man needs both legs,
No more "Waltzing Matilda" for me.

So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed,
And they shipped us back home to Australia.
The armless, the legless, the blind, the insane,
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla.
And as our ship sailed into Circular Quay,
I looked at the place where me legs used to be,
And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me,
To grieve, to mourn and to pity.

But the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
As they carried us down the gangway,
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared,
Then they turned all their faces away.

And so now every April, I sit on my porch
And I watch the parade pass before me.
And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march,
Reviving old dreams of past glory,
And the old men march slowly, all bones stiff and sore,
They're tired old heroes from a forgotten war
And the young people ask "What are they marching for?"
And I ask meself the same question.

But the band plays "Waltzing Matilda,"
And the old men still answer the call,
But as year follows year, more old men disappear
Someday, no one will march there at all.

Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda.
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
And their ghosts may be heard as they march by the billabong,
Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?

"And the band played Waltzing Matilda" - Eric Bogle

[Beirut]

From way up here to way down there.

[Mooks]

I find it kind of wierd that they celebrate a battle they lost.

[sapi]

I find it kind of wierd that they celebrate a battle they lost.

You see, that's the thing.

We didn't lose the battle. The British lost the battle; it was a disaster from the very start.

So we don't remember the battle, but the ideals of the men who fought.

We have never sent conscripted men to fight on foreign soil; every man who fought and died at Gallipoli and on the Western front in World War One (and we had the highest casualty rate, as a % of population, of any country in that war) was a volunteer.

So we remember what made them volunteer, and why they died.

[Hosakawa Tito]

Salute to our steadfast friends and allies.

[Louis VI the Fat]

To the ANZACS! *


So what is the exact nature of ANZAC day? is it a remembrance day in NZ / Oz ? A celebration of independent identity?
Is it a day of national festivity or one of a more solemn nature, ie a july 14th or a november 11th?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

*Yes, Gallipoli is mostly a Commonwealth thingy of course, where it is a near mythical experience. Whereas it is more of a footnote to the French WWI experience, but we were there too.

If it is a festive day, then have one on me! If it is more about remembrance, then a salute - the ANZAC effort on the western front was most welcome. And let us not forget to commemorate the sacrifices of the peoples from the non-white parts of the empires too, the Senegalese, the Indians, others.

[edyzmedieval]

I find it quite interesting that NZ/AUS are as patriotic as the Americans.

From way up here to way down there.

Aye!

[Xehh II]

Yes! Go ANZAC day!

[pevergreen]

Ninety two years ago our diggers landed at Gallipoli, the ANZAC tradition was forged on 25 April 1915 on the Gallipoli Peninsula. It marked the start of a campaign which lasted eight months and resulted in some 25,000 casualties, approx 8700 were killed or died as a result of their wounds or disease. The bravery and shear guts of these men carved the ANZAC legend which we all (I hope) know and treasure. The battle feature many braved and heroic actions from Simpson and his donkey to the battle for Lone Pine. But the most remarkable was the evacuation in December of nearly 134,000 troops without the enemy knowing they where leaving till they were gone, without any casualties. In 1916, the anniversary of the landing was observed in Australia, New Zealand and our troops in Egypt. That year 25 April was so named ‘ANZAC Day`. Over the ensuing decades, service personnel from the Malaya, Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam and Middle Eastern conflicts now proudly march and attend at these services. The Dawn service derives from the operational routine that’s still used today by the Army. The half light plays tricks with our eyes with all its grey misty shadows at dawn. A near perfect time to attack. After the First World War, returned soilders sought the comradeship and peace in those moments before dawn, and so our tradition a symbolic link to Gallipoli was born, the dawn stand-to is the ceremony we now celebrate every year. We sit in the safety and sanctuary of our homes behind our monitors and kill each other, a legacy and way of life formed by the actions and intentions of our ‘Diggers’. Without this we would have no tradition, or the Aussie way, MATE. Game of two-up mate...lol Please ensure you pay your respects and keep our tradition alive for all future generations to understand. And at the going down of the sun we will remember them. LEST WE FORGET.

[CountArach]

We have never sent conscripted men to fight on foreign soil; every man who fought and died at Gallipoli and on the Western front in World War One (and we had the highest casualty rate, as a % of population, of any country in that war) was a volunteer.

not true, we sent soldiers to Vietnam on "National Service".

So what is the exact nature of ANZAC day? is it a remembrance day in NZ / Oz ? A celebration of independent identity?
Is it a day of national festivity or one of a more solemn nature, ie a july 14th or a november 11th?

Solemn for the most part, but with an optimistic message. One of hope for the future, yet at the same time a day of mourning for those lost in battle.

I find it kind of wierd that they celebrate a battle they lost.

It isn't the point of the day. It was the first war we fought as a unified nation in (Prior to this, we were just colonies) and it was a coming of age for us.

I find it quite interesting that NZ/AUS are as patriotic as the Americans.

Only on this day, really.

Lest we forget

[sapi]

Mate, please don't make this a discussion of national history.

That said, I have to point out that no conscripted soldiers were forced to fight in the Vietnam war...

[CountArach]

Ummm, about half of the soldiers who fought there were national conscripts.

[sapi]

Ummmm.....no.

Practically every conscript who fought in Vietnam volunteered to serve there after their conscription, so while conscripts fought there, it was not out of choice.

[pevergreen]

[CountArach]

Ummmm.....no.

Practically every conscript who fought in Vietnam volunteered to serve there after their conscription, so while conscripts fought there, it was not out of choice.

A paradoxical concept if I have ever heard it.

But here is a source:
http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/c...on/vietnam.htm

The Australian War Memorial

Those who were selected for national service were required to serve for two years full-time in the regular army, and three years part-time in the reserves.

I was also watching some of the ANZAC day reports, and they were talking about the Battle of Long Tan, and they mentioned that half the soldiers in it were conscripted.

[Hepcat]

I find it quite interesting that NZ/AUS are as patriotic as the Americans.

Yeah, this is the only day that we have which actually acknowledges that NZ has any military history at all, which is probably why it is for ALL our veterens of all wars.

I find this quite cool:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...turkswords.JPG
A memorial put up by Atatürk who was leading the enemy's forces and is (in my opinion) the sort of thing that should happen after wars. Reconciliation.

[LeftEyeNine]

I can wholeheartedly second what my leader had said years ago:

"...You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace..."

[Banquo's Ghost]

To the brave young men and women of the ANZAC forces.

You are remembered.

[Martok]

In remembrance of the ANZAC forces:

[The Spartan (Returns)]

God bless the ANZACS.

[Papewaio]

@ Louis

The first half is solemn followed by the second half of beer, two-up and comradeship.

@ LEN

Agreed, it is a strange way to start a friendship. The main Turkish mosque in Sydney is called the Gallipolli mosque

The name of the mosque - Auburn Gallipoli Mosque - reflects the shared legacy of the Australian society and the main community behind the construction of the mosque, Australian Turkish Muslim Community.

[Beren Son Of Barahi]

@ Louis

The first half is solemn followed by the second half of beer, two-up and comradeship.

@ LEN

Agreed, it is a strange way to start a friendship. The main Turkish mosque in Sydney is called the Gallipolli mosque

It is hard to explain to people, unless they have some idea of what aussies are like when things matter, the core values of Australia. I feel that ANZAC day is maybe the most important day of them all, it is truly a day of remembrance and also sharing what makes Australians and Australia such an amazing bunch of people and a great place to live. It's about making sure the Australian spirit that was founded in the bitter fighting, the endless rivers of blood, and the knowing that regardless of the odds and the situation your mates and countrymen are right behind you when all hope should be lost and things really matter. its seeing the bright side and humour in everything and always.

[CountArach]

I can wholeheartedly second what my leader had said years ago:

"...You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace..."

That is beautiful. It is great that what we did was acknowedged by our one-time foes. It is also great that hard feelings do not go that far back.

[pevergreen]

slightly off topic, but every time i hear the Last Post, i get tears in my eyes and towards the end have an incredible urge to take up arms and fight the enemy in an attack of any kind. As long as i can run screaming at them...is it just me or...

[InsaneApache]

It's just you.

[CountArach]

Yeah.. it is just you