ANZAC DAY, We will remember them!
Today we stood on our driveways and balconies to remember them, but the lack of congregation was balanced by our respect and gratitude for those who serve and those who have fallen. I originally wrote this post on Anzac Day 2018. I hope it still brings some meaning to those who today took time to remember them.
The acronym ANZAC was first devised in 1915 for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who went in support of the 'Old Country' to answer the Empire's call when World War 1 broke out. They were born into a baptism of fire against the Turks at Gallipoli, where they fought bravely against the odds and were ultimately evacuated. The Gallipoli campaign proved to be an abject failure and lead to the sacking of the then British commander, Sir Ian Hamilton.
The Anzacs lost 8,000 men in Gallipoli and a further 18,000 were wounded.
Australia had a population of five million - 330,000 served in the war, 59,000 were killed.
New Zealand with a population of one million lost 18,000 men out of 110,000 and had 55000 wounded.Henry Foley, Military Historian, in Quora
But the spirit of the ANZACs had been born and they went on to serve with distinction in Palestine and on the western front in France.
And so, on this day, 25 April, Australians and New Zealanders, wherever their travels may find them, stop to remember, not only the original ANZACs, who fought back then for King and Empire, but all Aussie and Kiwi war veterans who have served and fought (and the many who have died) since ANZAC Cove and Gallipoli, and who continue to serve in Australasia and overseas.
Although the many modern day campaigns involving our diggers are peacekeeping ones, our armed forces are still participating in the reformatted and often recurring and rebadged battles and wars which continue to be an implicit part of mankind's advance through the annuls of time, doomed to relive the conflict and repeat the slaughter, as though we have learned very little from our history as a civilisation.
But today is not for blame and accountability. Today is for remembrance. For us to take time out to honour and commemorate those who died so that we may live the lives we are fortunate enough to have today.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
from "For the Fallen" by Laurence Binyon.
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.
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When I am not researching the weird or the wonderful, the comical or the cultured, the sinful or the serious, I chase my creative side, the results of which can be seen as selected photographs of my travels on my website at:
http://ken-boddie.squarespace.com
The author of the above, Ken Boddie, besides being a sometime poet and occasional writer, is an enthusiastic photographer, rarely leisure-travelling without his Canon, and loves to interact with other like-minded people with diverse interests.
Ken's three day work week (part time commitment) as a consulting engineer allows him to follow his photography interests, and to plan trips to an ever increasing list of countries and places of scenic beauty and cultural diversity.
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Comments
Ken Boddie
5 years ago #8
Valid observation based on our refusal to learn from history to date, Ian. I suggest, however, that our days of “bags of smoke and straight up the middle” are disappearing. I foresee that the ‘Haves’ will rely more and more on AI (such as drones with facial recognition) to fight remotely in comfort, whereas the ‘Have Nots’ will continue to bring their fight into our cities and civillian gatherings.
Ian Weinberg
5 years ago #7
Ken Boddie
5 years ago #6
The evacuation, Claire, was the only thing that appears to have been well organised about the whole campaign. 😢
Ken Boddie
5 years ago #5
And yet, Pascal, our governments still expect our war veterans, generations later, to slot back into society, with little or no assistance, as though they had been at a school picnic. 😢
Ken Boddie
5 years ago #4
We will remember them, Chris. 🎖
Pascal Derrien
5 years ago #3
Ken Boddie
5 years ago #2
So true, Louise, that many veterans end up giving much more than their service.
Louise Smith
5 years ago #1