ANZAC DAY

[Ultralights]

To all those who serve, and to the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and family who have relatives who put themselves in harms way..

 

Why are they selling poppies mother, selling poppies in town today?

 

The poppies child are flowers of love for the men who marched away.

 

But why have they chosen a poppy mother, why not a beautiful rose?

 

Because my child, men fought and died in fields where the poppies grow.

 

But why are the poppies so red mother, why are the poppies so red?

 

Red is the colour of blood, my child, the blood that our soldiers shed.

 

The heart of the poppy is black mother, why does it have to be black?

 

Black, my child, is the symbol of grief, for the men who never came back

 

But why, mother dear, are you crying so? Your tears are like winter rain.

 

My tears are for you, my child, for the world is forgetting again.

 

Lest we forget

 

 

[dreemhi]

Thanks for posting that Ultralights.

 

In Camden the turnout for the march was bigger than I can remember for years.

 

David

 

 

[hihosland]

"Those heroes that 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 the Mehmets 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. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well."

 

Kemal Attaturk

 

 

[Guest danda]

My Dad was in New Guinea and suffered horrendous injuries, he is now longer with us however I get a tear in my eye when I think of those brave men and women who gave up so much for the freedom of this great nation. I miss my Dad however I was blessed we had him long enough to watch us grow up and have families of our own and I thank GOD for that however it makes me think of the many Wives, son's and daughters who were not so lucky please don't get upset with this however I read this when I think of my Father John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

 

Don

 

 

[poteroo]

Anzac Day was always a big event at my 1 teacher school in country Queensland, where I started in 1946. We were taught about WW1 and Gallipoli, and France....but WW2 was still very 'raw' in peoples' minds. Later, as an ATC cadet doing Anzac parades, and after that, in the CMF for several more, (lugging a heavy .303 and 18 inch bayonet), I appreciated part of what they did.

 

In 1961 I went to TPNG, and spent lots of patrol time with the then Dept of Agriculture, often joint patrols with Patrol Officers to the wilder regions. We spent a lot of time walking over some rough country, like from Mt Hagen to Jimi River, Aiome to Simbai,and Wabag to Kopiago. It was tough enough without being shot at, or carrying all your gear, plus weapons.

 

In 1965 I began charter flying and spent several years of servicing the strips between Port Moresby and Lae, and Moresby and Milne Bay. I've visited most of the major battlefields, including the Kokoda Track, Wau-Salamaua, Shaggy Ridge,Milne Bay and Madang. In the 60's, the scars were still there, as was the debris and munitions.

 

The Kokoda Track is everything it's reported as - and then some! The strips we used are still clear in my mind....Kokoda, Kagi, Efogi, Naoro, Manumu ....I'd be in and out of them several times a week in the 185's. In my days there, the old wartime strip on Myola Lake, right on the top of the 'fly-through' Kokoda Gap, was still there...with a couple wrecks off the side. Many books have been written on Kokoda, the most recent of which is: 'Kokoda' by Peter Fitzsimons. The architect of our saving of Kokoda was Brigadier Arnold Potts, whose biography is available as: 'Warrior of Kokoda': A Biography of Brig.Arnold Potts' by Bill Edgar. I'm attending the unveiling of a long overdue memorial to him at Kojonup,WA in early May

 

Then there was Milne Bay, where 75 Sqdn RAAF wreaked havoc on the Japanese landing craft - handing them their first defeat of the Pacific war, before Kokoda was won. The gear was still retracting on the Kittyhawks when they were strafing the beach. The coconuts and other trees were growing again - but showing incredible gunfire damage. Gurney strip was still all Marsden matting as late as 1969 - it was a wierd sensation using that strip. A definitive book covering this campaign is: 'A Bastard of a Place' by Peter Brune

 

The Wau campaign is one that I'm familiar with too - my father-in-law fought it from Wau to Lae in the 2/3rd Commando, being one of only 24 who were not killed or injured out of 480 men. Wau was the steepest commercial airstrip in the world at over 15% slope, yet the C47's landed and unloaded there, under light weapons fire. There was no other way in. Yet, in my years there, all we had to contend with was the often atrocious weather. It used to take me 15 minutes in the 185 through the Black Cat Gap out to the coast at Salamaua - yet it took the 2/3rd Commandos 8 months to fight their way over. The definitive book on this campaign is: 'Nothing is Forever' by Ron Garland

 

Today, 4 of us flew our RV's in close formation over the Albany Anzac parade. Without the sacrifices made in far off places like TPNG, we surely would not be enjoying the freedom to do that.

 

We will remember them

 

I truly need to conclude this posting, or you'll be bored silly.

 

poteroo

 

 

[PaulN]

Great post Poteroo. Not at all boring, but very interesting. And it seems you have led a very interesting life too. Thanks for sharing it.

 

Paul

 

 

[PaulN]

Please don't get upset with this however I read this when I think of my Father John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.Don

No upset Don, indeed it's worth repeating. Thanks mate.

 

Paul

 

 

[Guest danda]

Poteroo I have to agree with Paul rather than boring I found it fascinating and I thank you very much for sharing this part of your life with us.

 

Don

 

 

[Yenn]

We have a lot to be thankful for that our world is a safer place now, thanks to those who fought before. I was lucky in a way as I was knocked back from going to Korea as I was too young, but I really wanted to go. Now I have a grandson just waiting to go to Afghanistan and it is hard not to worry although the training keeps them pretty safe.

 

The only way to prevent wars is to get rid of politicians!