Anzac parade ??

[Guest Maj Millard]

Hey just out of interest, (and at the risk of sounding old,) how many forum members do their bit and march the Anzac parade ?.

 

I'm ex RAAF (only 6 yrs) and never did march, but a friend got me into it about three years ago, and now I quite look foward to the experience, and of course there's free Rum and milk.

 

I managed to talk the daughter into joining me last year, which was a treat, and I think she enjoyed it also. She hasn't commited to it this year yet, but I'm working on her.

 

I have an uncle in Brisbane (still alive), who managed to survive 55 night missions in Lancasters over Europe with the RAF, and my old man got his five gongs for service In PNG and Bouganville with the Army in WW2, so I feel I'm sort of carrying the colors for them also................................................

 

 

[Guest Cloudsuck]

Good on you Maj, I bet your old man would be proud. I do dawn service every year but don't march. One of my life's highlights was doing dawn service at Gallipoli in 2000.

 

 

[shags_j]

hard going to a dawn service these days. In Brisbane the last two years there have been so many people that you can neither hear nor see anything at all unless you get there first.

 

That said i still go along to as many as i can.

 

Grats to all who march in it I say. I used to carry the catalina squadron banner in the brisbane parade when i was in cadets. It was a real thrill at the time.

 

 

[Guest drizzt1978]

Well i march localy, In honour of my departed grandfather who spent several years in the jungle in New Guinea...I will all ways march for him....

 

 

[turboplanner]

I haven't, but should.

 

If you are not aware of it, The National Archives has virtually finished digitizing WW1.

 

I was able to download about 30 pages relating to my Grandfather's brother, who was killed at Gallipoli. Throughout the years the family believed he had died on the beach, but the downloads made it clear he had died on the first day of the attack on Lone Pine. There were copies of letters from his mother (my great grandmother) who had managed to get a Court of Inquiry into the whereabouts of bodies. and one from my grandfather who uncharacteristically signed the letter to a Senator "Yours in Obedience" - with good reason - he'd never told us he'd been busted from Lance Corporal to Private for going AWL for an all night party.

 

There were 59 pages on my grandfather who was wounded on the Somme, and gave us the date. We then went to the Battalion Diary and found he was in a raid over the German lines that night, found the orders for the raid detailing the location of the First Aid trench, found the trench maps and located the trench, went on the french equivalent of Google Earth (which is a bit more detailed) and were able to look at the side of the road to +- 50 metres of where he was taken.

 

WW2

 

You can input the name of the soldier and get basic details but only a few digitals are up. If you pay about $16.00 they'll scan and permanently download the full records.

 

More information? PM me.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Thanks Turboplanner and everybody else for your kind words and support. Enjoy Saturday as I will....Cheers..............................................................

 

 

[nathan_c]

Being in the Air Force Cadets I am obligated to march. Not that I am complaining :P Im the FLT COM (Flight Commander) for 1 of the flights in one of the smaller marches this year. Should be interesting =]

 

 

[shags_j]

I miss marching in the Brisbane anzac day parades. It used to be one of the highlights of the year.

 

With any luck I will get to march as a serviceman next year, fingers crossed.

 

I like the stories you get from the marches. We used to carry the catalina squadron banner and each year the squadron would march behind the squadron of which Ray Wilkie (ex ch 10 weatherman) used to be a part of. He would talk us deaf with all of his stories each year. It was great to be a part of that.

 

 

[poteroo]

The local RSL here has the RAAF do the parade opening flypast, (usually 3 PC-9's), and then the parade is closed 30 minutes later with a civilian flypast, which is attributed to the local Aero Club.

 

It is usually done with 4 RV's, flown as a box/diamond, and at around 140-150 kts IAS. This year it might be an arrowhead 6, and when we get everyone endorsed and practised better - probably a diamond 9 will be possible. Longer term, looking to go with a full squadron of 16.

 

It takes a bit of organising to get a formation 'overhead' right on the allotted time. The RAAF do it well, we mortals try hard!

 

happy days,

 

 

[Relfy]

I'll iron my best work shirt tonight and be up for dawn service. It's a small service here in Cunnamulla, very touching and one of the locals has an old army jeep that comes out of the shed and adds to the service.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I bet they know how to drink in Cunnamulla though, enjoy Cunnamulla Fulla !

 

 

[Relfy]

Thanks and they sure do Maj, but those people weren't up for the dawn service this morning, which went really well. Seems there are more people every year. Did anyone else notice this?

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I remember the Anzac parades of the 60s when I was a young fulla, and the old man would march. They seemed really big back then. I remember maybee 20-30 WW1 vets led, and were followed by about 2-3 hundred WW2 vets. Many gone now sadly. The marches in Townsville seem to be pretty well attended and we have regular Army and air force particapation too of course. A lone Caribou flew over three times at about 500 ft ?, maybe for the last time, but he sure beat the place up pretty good.

 

I've only marched the last three years so not sure, but it looks like they get bigger each year, at least in Townsville. Did manage to talk the daughter into joining me again which was nice. I'm still recovering from the big session at the RSL, and my gyro hasn't completely corrected itself yet !.............................................

 

 

[winsor68]

As long as they are there for the right reason...We have seen a major increase in rabid nationalism lately in Australia...as evidenced by the drunken yobbos draping themselves in vomit riddled Australian flags in the name of "Aussie Pride" while bashing anyone who doesn't look like them...To me Anzac day is a day of mourning... the futility of war...the desolation...the damage...as well as acknowledging those that served as a last option when all other options were exhausted.

 

 

[Stewart J]

Have been in the Reserves (Army) in the NT for the last 20 + years and have marched a few times, in both greens and then in cams. Those time I didn't, we (my family) would go down from Darwin to a little town called Adelaide River, about100km south, for the dawn service. There is a cemetary there where the victims of the bombing of Darwin are buried and they hold the service there. Years ago we'd be some of about 30-40 people who'd turn up, (we live remote now and haven't been for the last 7 years) and this year my wife and kids who where up on a visit, went along and she said there where over 2,000 people there. Bloody good to see I reckon.

 

Cheers,

 

Stewart (Sgt)

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Yep, I agree you have to do it for the right reason.

 

 

[T500]

good to hear a few people went to dawn service, I went over to maggie Island 3am ferry for dawn service my father was in the 2nd ww (army)from start to finish he was shot twice at different times, my uncle was airforce and he got shot down 6 times (ouch)

 

Myself i have been in the army 26yrs and now spend time in the reserves (it rubs on you)

 

cheers all

 

T500