Well as I am sure may of you do not know that the 25th of April is ANZAC Day. For those with little knowledge on this topic ANZAC stands for Australian New Zealand Army Corp.

"The date itself marks the anniversary of the landing of New Zealand and Australian soldiers – the Anzacs – on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915. The aim was to capture the Dardanelles, the gateway to the Bosphorus and the Black Sea. At the end of the campaign, Gallipoli was still held by its Turkish defenders."



Anzac Day | NZHistory

ANZAC DAY is a day to celebrate the birth of an army, however it is also the celebration and rememberance of the Australian forces through all military conflicts including ww2.


"Of course, there are many other names from other wars where Australian lives were lost in the cause of a better world. We remember the airmen who flew in hazardous missions over Europe in WW2. The gallant pilots who fought in the victory at Milne Bay. We remember the sailors and submariners who were away from home for long periods on hazardous missions fighting to keep the vital sea lanes open, HMAS Sydney, Midway and Coral Sea. There were battles near our home land in the inhospitable terrain of New Guinea. We remember those who became POW's.
Later Australians fought with distinction in Korea and the battle of Kapyong springs immediately to mind. We took part in campaigns such as Borneo and Malaya. Our longest ever commitment to a conflict was in Vietnam, where over almost eight years, 46,000 Australian men and women served - some volunteers and some conscripts - but all there to do their duty.


But ANZAC day is not commemoration of the victories or defeats of the Australian armed forces at war. Instead we simply remember that individual, ordinary Australian men and women were prepared to make personal sacrifices, many who gave their lives, for the freedom and quality of life that we enjoy today. As all servicemen can tell you, none who goes to war, returns the same person, and many carry hidden wounds with them years later."


Anzac day Egypt 1940

Anzac Day

FOR THE FALLEN
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children
England mourns for her dead across the sea,
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.
Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And glory that shines upon our tears.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow,
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
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.
They mingle not with their laughing comrades again,
They sit no more at familiar tables of home,
They have no lot in our labour of the daytime,
They sleep beyond England's foam.
But where our desires and hopes profound,
Felt as a wellspring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the night.
As the stars shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.






All quoted from the Australian Government\Defence force websites with appropiate links.






I will certainly post more through this week and espically on the day it self.

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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 shall remember them. Lest We Forget

__________________
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 shall remember them. Lest We Forget

a grand read there my anzac friend
did you know a fue weeks befor the campain started that a fue british were there and walked into the village's and purched fresh fruit and small item's
fron the village people
and if i remember rightly the british and french navy missed a chance of a life time the turckish forts were nilly and out of ammo but the navy set sail and retreated
loosing six battle ships in one day thats high losses even on todays standard
best krieg..

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for thow . will be ours someday.we shall have it all
... und mear.......

That is a great loss at any level of history

__________________
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 shall remember them. Lest We Forget

OUR DIGGERS OVERSEAS

approximately 4000 ADF.personnel are in volved in.11. operations world wide

IRAQ
there are.1540. australians defence peronnel involved in the rehabilitaionand reconstruaction of iraq
EASR TIMOR
around .750. troops are in east timor assisting in the restoration of peace and
stability in the country with more based in the .UN.OFFICE.in dili
AFGHANISTAN.
approximatley 1025. auzzie troops are contributing to the international coalition against terrorism i
SOLOMON ISLANDS
around 140 moden day diggers are in the islands contributing to the australian led regional assistance mission to the solomon islands (RAMMSI)
STAY SAFF BOYS HAVE A GREAT ANZAC DAY WE ARE THINKING OF YOU
best krieg

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for thow . will be ours someday.we shall have it all
... und mear.......

Thanks Krieg great addition to the thread

__________________
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 shall remember them. Lest We Forget

Moving song about the lads who went to Vietnam.

Watch it here>> YouTube - Redgum - I Was Only 19 (1983)

Or this one YouTube - I was only 19

Mum and Dad and Denny saw the passing-out parade at Puckapunyal
It was a long march from cadets.
The sixth battalion was the next to tour, and it was me who drew the card.
We did Canungra, Shoalwater before we left.

And Townsville lined the footpaths as we marched down to the quay
This clipping from the paper shows us young and strong and clean.
And there's me in my slouch hat with my SLR and greens.
God help me, I was only nineteen.

From Vung Tau, riding Chinooks, to the dust at Nui Dat
I'd been in and out of choppers now for months.
But we made our tents a home, VB and pinups on the lockers
And an Asian orange sunset through the scrub.

And can you tell me, doctor, why I stil can't get to sleep?
And night-time's just a jungle dark and a barking M16?
And what's this rash that comes and goes, can you tell me what it means?
God help me, I was only ninteen.

A four week operation when each step could mean your last one on two legs
It was a war within yourself.
But you wouldn't let your mates down til they had you dusted off
So you closed your eyes and thought about something else.

Then someone yelled out "Contact!" and the bloke behind me swore
We hooked in there for hours, then a Godalmighty roar
Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon,
God help me, he was going home in June.

I can still see Frankie, drinking tinnies in the Grand Hotel
On a thirty-six hour rec leave in Vung Tau
And I can still hear Frankie, lying screaming in the jungle
Til the morphine came and killed the bloody row.

And the Anzac legends didn't mention mud and blood and tears
And the stories that my father told me never seemed quite real.
I caught some pieces in my back that I didn't even feel
God help me, I was only nineteen.

And can you tell me, doctor, why I still can't get to sleep?
And why the Channel Seven chopper chills me to my feet?
And what's this rash that comes and goes, can you tell me what it means?
God help me, I was only nineteen.

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Excellent WW, I love and hate that song.

__________________
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 shall remember them. Lest We Forget

YouTube - Diggers Of Anzac

Listen to this song mate, it is great - DIggers of the ANZAC, sung by John Willamson an Australian country singer.

__________________
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 shall remember them. Lest We Forget

I'm choking up listening to it, again.
This one has the song with photos of 12 Fld Regt RAA.
YouTube - Headquarter Battery 12 Field Regiment RAA ~ Vietnam 1971

My cousin was in Vietnam with the RAAF.
His Dad was in the RAF but was posted to Oz in WW2.
His Grandad was at Gallipoli with the Wiltshire Regiment.
So we can thank WW2 for one branch of our family going to Oz.
They seem to have thrived there.

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For those not familiar with Australian ww1 history read all about Private J.S. Kirkpatrick (who served in the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance, AIF as John Simpson), who became known as "The man with the donkey".

A true hero in the name of Australia




Should the First Australian Victoria Cross be awarded to the man with the donkey? Before you answer read this story on the life of
Simpson; the man with the donkey


Edit: some more

Although recommended for a Distinguished Conduct Medal and later the Victoria Cross, no single act of heroism could be isolated. He was, however, Mentioned in Despatches for gallant and distinguished service in the field.

__________________
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 shall remember them. Lest We Forget

I always get shivers listening to that song mate, If I could give you it, I would give you 100 rep points.

Someone give this man some rep please.

__________________
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 shall remember them. Lest We Forget

WW a family history to be proud of, good on all of them fordoing there part, no matter how big or small.

__________________
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 shall remember them. Lest We Forget

if i remember rightly it wos the band .REG GUM .that at first released this fine .AUZZIE SONG... i think.. krieg

__________________
for thow . will be ours someday.we shall have it all
... und mear.......

hay .TC. will try later to get a photo up of anzac cove this photo wos
well so i am led to beleave wos taken there and sent home to his mother
there is wrighting on the back of the photo i picked this up at a market
years ago
it is realy old and falling to bits but will try to get it up for all to see
best krieg

__________________
for thow . will be ours someday.we shall have it all
... und mear.......

Been watching this thread, TC, rest assured I'll take a moment to stand to attention in silence for our Aussie and NZ cousins (a good part of my family went there after the South African wars actually). The songs are heart breaking, the history leaves me speechless.

A damn good song about the ANZACs

YouTube - ANZAC Legend Begins - And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda

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There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.

Cheers to the Aussies and Kiwis!

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Best Regards,
JW

And a good modern one

YouTube - and the band played waltzing matilda 2007

Got to say, having relatives in oz I'm seriously considering going over there and joining the ANZAC army once I've served my own country for a bit.

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There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.

BTW I have heard that Australia is considering splitting from the Monarchy.

Australian republic 'inevitable,' says FM
Sun Apr 20, 5:03 AM ET



SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia's split from the British monarchy is "inevitable" but is not an urgent priority for the government, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Sunday.

[The issue of a republic has been a key item to emerge from a two-day 2020 summit, a gathering of 1,000 of the nation's "best and brightest."
The summit was called by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to generate "big ideas" after his election in November ended almost 12 years of conservative rule.
Responding to enthusiastic support for a split from the British monarchy from the Canberra meeting, Smith said while the centre-left Labor government favoured a republic, it was not a top priority.
"I regard it as inevitable. I don't see it occurring in 2010," he said.
"It's one of those things I think the nation state will attend to in due course," he told Network Ten.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is hugely popular in Australia, and Smith said that as long she she ruled, this held back momentum for change.
"There's... something of a view in the community that the appropriate time to move is when the current monarch moves off from her position and whenever that might be," he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said she believed the summit "was accurately reflecting a new sense of engagement and interest with the republic debate."
"The majority of Australians, I think we can say, want to move to a republic, but there are a variety of views about what kind of republic," she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
"The sense coming out of the summit has been a sense of urgency and I suspect that will be the subject of more discussion today."
The Australian Monarchist League said the 2020 summit delegates had been biased towards a republic from the outset and their views were not necessarily representative of the wider community.
The league's Phillip Benwell told the ABC there was no need for the country to cut its ties with the British monarchy.
"At a time when there's no problem with our constitution, when there's no constitutional crisis, why move to fix something that doesn't need fixing, just because people don't like one part of our constitution -- and that is the Queen and the Crown?" he said.
The 2020 summit includes politicians past and present, bankers and business leaders, experts and academics and even a couple of Hollywood stars.

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For the first time I have seen "History" at close quarters,and I know that its actual process is very different from what is presented to Posterity. - WWI General Max Hoffman.

I'm the "Confederate with a pipe"!! LOL