ANZAC Day

POST-SCRIPT TO ANZAC DAY 2011 AT CANNOCK CHASE COMMONWEALTH CEMETERY


I realise it’s well beyond ANZAC Day but I was so impressed by the Address given by the Minister who conducted the ANZAC Service this year that I approached him for a copy to post here.

He seemed to me to have summed up in very few words the debt we owe to the brave forebears of our comrades from down-under who, unlike most of our modern generation, need no such enlightenment to preserve the memory of their sacrifice.

<< ANZAC DAY COMMEMORATIVE SERVICE ADDRESS
Sunday April 17TH 2011

I would like to begin with the words spoken by a superb and fearless battlefield commander.

"Take these men for your example"

Our gathering here today is about determination to keep faith. It is a quiet determination. A determination to publicly, actively, and constructively remember 'them' by making the past very important in the present. Our past is always part and parcel of our present. As individuals, as a people, as a nation and as a Commonwealth of Nations it affects us all because it is about why things are as they are.

It was in 1915, early on an April morning that the ANZACs were first put ashore on a so called 'beach', which curved in an arc, 600 metres from point to point and no deeper from front to back than a good sized cricket pitch. They came to call it ANZAC beach.

Among the 40,000 Anzac volunteers who landed would have been a sprinkling of the very first Australians of all, the Aborigines. There were of a certainty over 500 Maoris, whose fore-fathers had signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, making the 20-year-old Victoria their Queen. All the rest in their tens of thousands, were sons of families, who one way or another had gone 'OUT THERE' to build a new life and to found two great and wonderful nations.

The ANZACs were all volunteers. Of the 330,000 Australians who served overseas, 60,000 never saw their homes again. Of the 8,500 New Zealanders who landed at Gallipoli, three in every ten were lost. The breakdown hurts your eyes to read. 344 known graves, 252 buried at sea, 1,669 unknown graves. The remainder were laid to rest in Egypt, Malta, Gibraltar, following the route of the hospital ships. Finally, here in England. were our 71 New Zealanders on Cannock Chase, with their two Australian Comrades beside them.

On Kitchener's personal order, Gallipoli was brought to an end just before Christmas 1915. The withdrawal was by night, miraculously without a single casualty.

In compassion and common justice we would say that those young men had earned the right to be sent straight home.

Not so!

By July 1916 three Australian divisions were on the Somme. Then there was Messines Ridge where the Australians carried the day and from there to the battlefield of Ypres and the winter carnage at Passchendaele.

In October 1917, 30,000 men were lost in three weeks.

Only then were the Australians and New Zealanders separated and the name ANZAC itself officially dropped. How insensitive can high commands get?

At the cost of another 21,000 casualties the Aussies helped to take the Hindenberg line, as late as the 29th September 1918.

It is not surprising that the great 1,000 bed hospital that was then on Cannock Chase should give succour and shelter at last to those gallant young men of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. Wounded, weary and worn out, they had one last great battle to fight. That for their lives. The ferocious Flu' epidemic of 1918 came sweeping out of Asia. In it 20 millions perished, and fifty times that number were fortunate to come through it alive.

I began with a quotation. "Take these men for your example". It was spoken in such a place as this, after the great battle of Marathon in 490 BC when the Athenians routed the formerly undefeated Persians. Pericles, their greatest general, was speaking of his fallen heroes to his surviving troops.

In full it goes as follows.

"For the whole earth is the sepulchre of heroes. Monuments may rise and tablets be set up to them in their own land, but on the far off shores there is an abiding memorial that not pen nor chisel has traced. It is graven not on stone or brass, but on the living heart of humanity. Take these men for your example. True blessedness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous.”

Let us strive to be like them. >>

I apologise for being so late in posting this, but hope it will be well received.

Les

 

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So glad you appreciated it WG, I felt it was worthy of wider publication. I'll keep going there as long as I am able to do so, as it's such a worthy cause and so well attended, in spite of the often inclement weather. 60 to 70 Royal British Legion Standards march in to Waltzing Matilda, each one taking station behind a gravestone, whist a Piper in Highland dress plays a lament. Representatives of Australian and NZ High Commissions and Military Attaches, with the Civic Heads of every town in the County, led by the Lord Lieutenant, plus a WW1 ANZAC re-enactment unit.

 

Thanks for posting Les.

At the going down of the sun........................

 

The Department of Veterans' Affairs produces Anzac Day posters every year commemorating a particular theme or anniversary.
The bombing of Darwin poster features the scene of the first Japanese air raid on 19 February 1942. It shows several vessels, loaded with ammunition, having been hit and set on fire in the harbour.
The poster commemorating the Kokoda Campaign shows stretcher bearers offering drinking water to Private Baldwin of the 2/33rd Battalion. The image highlights the assistance local people gave in the care and evacuation of Australian casualties.
Copies of the posters are available on request from the Commemorations Officer in each state and territory. Telephone 133 254 or 1800 555 254 for regional callers. Please note that the posters cannot be altered in any way and must be used in their entirety.

 

Anzac day coming up soon, and sadly the ranks will be even thinner , but hopefully not the crowds of appreciative aussies . For me, i would just like to say "thank you" to all of our veterans ,past and present, for your sacrifices on behalf of the rest of us. You have done us proud. Hope you have a wonderful day. F.S.

 

Fully concur there.

As 1 of the March Mashalls, it is sad to see the ranks thining. it is most noticable with those of the 8th Division, there were (as of my count last year) less than 20 veterans participating. What does sadden me is that the respect & accolades due to them by the crowd cannot be fully appreciated as these brave men are enveloped in a sea of decendants of unit members who march with the unit as well (without official sanction).

Regrettably, it won't be long until the long wheel base jeeps will be more evident (as they were a number of years ago for WW1 vets). At least then these vets will be able to receive their true accolades as the Battalion will not be marching as a formation.


ATB

Simon

 

Hear, hear! We have the same (natural) problem with thinning ranks here in NZ but the heartening thing is the annual increase in numbers of the local population who heave themselves and their kids out of bed to attend the Dawn Parade - usually in the rain.
Pete

 

There is always a good turnout here in Berlin at the Heerstrasse CWGC Cemetery.

Regards
Tom

 

I will admit that I am one of those who has trouble marching in the rain. My involvement in the gun battery at Kennedy Park, Castor Bay, NZ has renewed my interest, to the extent that I ordered the missing medals and ribbons to complete my kit.

Before you ask:
National Defence Service Medal,
Vietnam Service Medal with 2 stars,
Vietnam Campaign Medal with device 60,
Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation (ribbon) and
Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Unit Citation (ribbon) with palm

 

26Delta good for you!
I am going to have to find out what there is going on in the UK if not will have to just have a silent moment on my own since it will be about 4pm here when you Kiwis are doing your stuff! Damn it I have just realised I am teaching that day!!! Wont be able to get away and there is one really close in Wymondham! Will go and visit "my" ANZAC that weekend!

 

Documents matching "gallipoli trenches" | Scribd









From Trenching in Gallipoli.

 

I saw a kid marchin with medals on his chest.
He marched alongside Diggers marching six abreast.
He knew that it was ANZAC Day - he walked along with pride.
He did his best to keep in step with the Diggers by his side.

And when the march was over the kid was rather tired.
A Digger said Whose medals, son? to which the kid replied:
They belong to daddy, but he did not come back.
He died up in New Guinea on a lonely jungle track.

The kid looked rather sad then and a tear came to his eye.
The Digger said Don't cry my son and I will tell you why.
Your daddy marched with us today - all the blooming way.
We Diggers know that he was there - it's like that on ANZAC Day.

The kid looked rather puzzled and didn't understand,
But the Digger went on talking and started to wave his hand.
For this great land we live in, there's a price we have to pay
For we all love fun and merriment in this country where we live.
The price was that some soldier his precious life must give.

For you to go to school my lad and worship God at will,
Someone had to pay the price so the Diggers paid the bill.
Your daddy died for us my son - for all things good and true.
I wonder if you understand the things I've said to you.

The kid looked up at the Digger - just for a little while
And with a changed expression, said, with a lovely smile:
I know my dad marched here today - this is ANZAC Day.
I know he did. I know he did, all the bloomin way.

D. Hunter
(A veteran of Shaggy Ridge with the 2/12 Battalion in WW2

 

Andy,

An excellent poem and thank you for sharing.

This morning I and several RBL Berlin Branch members attended the ANZAC Day Memorial Service at the CVWGC Cemetery on Heerstrasse, Berlin.

Our RBL Standard together with the Union Standard were on Parade and the Sun even came out for a short time during the service.

There was a good attendance and the poroceedings went wonderfully well with the Potsdam Police Quintet Band playing the music for the Hymns, both Last Post and Reveille.

I am informed that the services for the 100th Anniversary in 2015 are being planned now for Turkey and the Landing places.

With so many people expected to travel a numbers quota may be issued for services.

Regards
Tom

 

Attached are scans of todays progamme in Berlin for the ANZAC Day Ceremony.

I hope that members may find them useful in seeing what happens here in Berlin.

It all started for invited guests at the NZ Ambassadors Residence at
0845 hrs for a Gunfire Breakfast. A description is attached by way of a scan.

There then followed at 1030 hrs the ceremony at the CWGC Cemetery on Heerstrasse, Berlin.

Heavy rain last night was followed by dull and blustery weather prior to the service.

However the Sun seems to again shine on the Righteous and the ceremony was conducted in a mixture of cloud and sunshine, but stayed dry.

The Ceremony was well attended and photographs will be uploaded on the RBL Berlin Website in the near future if members wish to klick on the Hyperlink on the Portal Page.

After the damage caused by the wild pigs last year, the Head gardener Jonathan and his team have carried out extensive work and the hard work has paid off as the cemetery is looking excellent once more.



Regards
Tom

 

A truly great poem Andy - will show this to my dad who was born in Australia

Cheers , John

 

This year my partner and I attended the annual ANZAC Day Dawn Service in Honiara, in the Solomon Islands. The event was once again well attended by the Solomon Islanders and the expat community, with about 150 people attending.
It was my first dawn service in Honiara since 2006.
This year’s event was sponsored by the New Zealand High Commission, with the event alternatively hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Wreaths were laid during the service by the foreign diplomatic representative based in the Solomon Islands.
Australian, New Zealand PNG and Tongan troops were also in attendance as well as members of the RAMSI- Participating Police Force (PPF). The RAMSI military component is planning to withdraw in 2013.
The gunfire breakfast was once again held at the Point Cruz Yacht Club after the ceremony.
A little known fact is that Australian Army and Air Force, with Catalina’s, were based at the then capital in Tulagi prior to the Japanese invasion. The Australian personnel being withdrawn after the Fall of Rabaul, and just days prior to the Japanese Invasion.


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I want to put a great picture here about Gallipoli war.
There are two oldest veteran together. One of them Turkish, other one is Anzac.Both of them fighted against to each other in 1915 in Gallipoli War...
But they are together in this picture after more than 75 year. Jack Ryan and Hüseyin Kaçmaz. Hüseyin Kaçmaz is a Turkish veteran and he died 18 years ago.I couldnt find any information about Jack Ryan as call Anzac Veteran. He is alive or no? If he died, rest in peace, if he alive, long live to him.

 

What a great picture that is.

It may surprise members that there is a memorial in ANZAC Parade Canberra to Mustafa Kemal the commander of the Turkish 19th Division on the Dardenelles Peninsular who was to become the founding father of Modern Turkey.

There is a special bond between the Australians & the Turks as a result of that great struggle & in 1934 Kemal Attaturk crafted some of the most wonderfully healing words that could have been written in tribute to a former enemy
"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 to us where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours... you, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land. They have become our sons as well."

ATB

simon

 

What a great picture that is.

It may surprise members that there is a memorial in ANZAC Parade Canberra to Mustafa Kemal the commander of the Turkish 19th Division on the Dardenelles Peninsular who was to become the founding father of Modern Turkey.

There is a special bond between the Australians & the Turks as a result of that great struggle & in 1934 Kemal Attaturk crafted some of the most wonderfully healing words that could have been written in tribute to a former enemy "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 to us where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours... you, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land. They have become our sons as well."

ATB

simon
Thanks for nice comments about M.Kemal Atatürk.
Yes, your soldiers are resting in our land with our soldiers.
So what about this Anzac veteran? I think he is dead? U have information about him?