ANZAC Day

Have to put this on the calendar for ANZAC Day 2012

Swannies win 2011 ANZAC Friendship Match

Posted by Vietnam Swans on April 23, 2011
The Vietnam Swans have won the 2011 ANZAC Friendship Match beating the Hong Kong Dragons.
The final scores were Vietnam 12. 17. 89 to the Hong Kong Dragons’ 7. 5. 47.
David Hadley, playing in his last game for the Vietnam Swans was a star and picked up the Best on Ground player as judged by Ron Vernon (ex Vietnam Football League 1967 premiership play) and Kevin McMillan (Vietnam Vet).
Tonight, the ANZAC Friendship Dinner will be held on the tennis court at the Petro Hotel overlooking the Lord Mayor’s Oval – which is where we played this afternoon. But of, course, the Lord Mayor’s Oval is now the Vung Tau Greyhound Dog Track. And the dish lickers will be running tonight!

Swannies win 2011 ANZAC Friendship Match « Vietnam Swans

 

Quote[I'm afraid Tobruk overshadows Lebanon/Syria during the same period, although both Cpl James Gordon 2/31 AIF Inf Batt and Lt Roden Cutler 2/5 Aust Fld Reg won the V.C (Lt Cutler also lost his leg due to injury in the action) during the campaign]
End Quote

Yes unfortunately it does, at least most people seem to be aware of it nowadays.
The average person might forget and allow Syria/Lebanon to be left behind in remembrance for what were the more popular and more intense propaganda friendly fighting from WW2 (Tobruk, Lybia and the debacles in Greece and Crete)
For some reasons the authorities did not want much information about the Aussies fighting the French they thought they would not understand why. Now their are some dumb people everywhere, even here in Australia however even they would soon work out that it is/was a important campaign that ensured no German interference from that area and gave extra distance between the Enemy and the Suez as well as allowed Syria to be garrisoned giving more protection against any (unlikely)German advance from that direction
It was however the first time (excepting Blameys poor performance after taking over from Wilson in Greece his COS Gen Rowell seemed to be behind most of the decent decisions) that the main operation which included combat troops from GB, Free French and Aussies were under the Corps command of a Aussie being Gen Lavarack.
So it is a important campaign, in many ways including the two VC's and a campaign that i believe should be more widely known and that's not just for the Aussies as their were a lot of Brits and French along with others. I believe that this Corps command does not include the Bits who drove in from Iraq and possible other formations not on the Coast or central sectors of the advance

 

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Lest We Forget.

 

Lest we Forget

 

Harefield,Middlesex,Greater London

Harefield to commemorate ANZAC Day on April 25 and 26

A DAY of commemoration for ANZAC soldiers from Australia and New Zealand who died at war will this year coincide with Easter Monday. (25)

Harefield has a special link with the soldiers, as Harefield Hospital in Hill End Road was used as a military hospital for them in World War One, and hundreds of them are buried in St Mary's Churchyard in Church Hill.

The annual ANZAC Day Service will take place on Monday at 3pm on April 25 at St Mary's Church.

After the ceremony there will be a wreath laying ceremony in the cemetery.

The church will also be open on this day from 10am to 1.30pm for the public to view a flower display, which people have dedicated in honour of loved ones.

Harefield Infants School, in the High Street, who walk down to lay their own flowers each year will do so on Tuesday (26), the day they return back from Easter Holidays.

Harefield to commemorate ANZAC Day on April 25 and 26 - Communities - Harefield
Harefield - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

ANZAC Day here in Berlin saw a dull start, but ther sun came out on schedule

The morning started at 0900 with an invitation to the Australian Ambassadors House in Grünewald for a "Gunfire Breakfast" of which I and four other members of the RBL Berlin Branch, participated.

The Service at the CWGC on Heerstrasse was conducted by our fellow member, the Rev Max Homewood.

The service had the support of the Salvation Army Band, whose trumpeter played the Last post and Reveille (The Rouse).

I have copied the service sheets for those members who like to read what took place and I can recommend reading item 3.

I took the sheets apart to copy them, so please use the numbers to get the correct order of service.

Here are some photographs that I was able to take before and after the ceremony.

I will post other photographs when I receive them from other members of the Branch.

Regards
Tom

 

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Nice photo's Tom...I can see that me and the Aussie fullscrew in short sleeve order served in the same place at some point.

Anyone else got any pics from down under?

 

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Hi

Here is a few from Queensland-
Anzac Day 2011 - Photos from across South East Queensland - Photos - Northside Chronicle
and Maryborough-
Big crowds come out for Anzac Day | Fraser Coast News | Local News in Fraser Coast | Fraser Coast Chronicle

regards

Robert

 

I must confess that I was rather naughty and didn't go to dawn service this year due to the weather. I knew I would feel guilty about it, but to my surprise I found myself quietly angry at myself for missing it. I did however visit two veterans over the weekend, which I hope made up in some small way for missing the service.

 

Good to see the Maryborough Service,Robert
My son marched for his Great Grandad (a Maryborough Boy) here in Brisbane

 

ANZAC day in Christchurch NZ was relocated due to the damage in the central city due to the Feb 22 earthquake. The dawn service was held an hour later in North Hagley Park.

 

Harefield Australian Cemetery.
St Mary's Church Harefield

On the 26/4/11 The local school children laid flowers on every grave.

There are 2 graves that are more recent.

T.Kilby 1956
W.Murray 1971

 

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Thanks for posting Tom & Clive - Great photos from you both.

I see the headstones at Harefield were designed by the staff.

During the two world wars, the United Kingdom became an island fortress used for training troops and launching land, sea and air operations around the globe. There are more than 170,000 Commonwealth war graves in the United Kingdom, many being those of servicemen and women killed on active service, or who later succumbed to wounds. Others died in training accidents, or because of sickness or disease. The graves, many of them privately owned and marked by private memorials, will be found in more than 12,000 cemeteries and churchyards. Harefield (St. Mary) Churchyard contains war graves from both world wars. There are 120 First World War graves, mostly those of Australians who died in No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield Park. Uniquely, their graves are marked by scroll shaped headstones, chosen by the staff and patients at the hospital. In the centre of the Australian plot stands a memorial obelisk which was erected by Sir Francis Newdegate, late Governor of Tasmania and of Western Australia, and Mr. C.A.M. Billyard-Leake, of Harefield Park. The churchyard also contains six graves of the Second World War.
What did I do on ANZAC day? Actually, I made Easter my ANZAC Day.

Friday I drove to Norfolk from London and took photos and placed flags at one in Marham, Houghton and Brancaster and visited Little Dunham where my great great grandfather was born and waited three hours to get a punture repaired then drove to Birmingham where my great great greatparents lived.

On Saturday I left Birmingham at 10.00am and drove to North West Wales and Hollyhead (Maeshyfryd) Cemetery on Anglesey for two, then down to Llanbeblig Public Cemetery in Caernarvon for four more then onto Pwllheli Borough Cemetery for five more.

On Sunday down to Oxfordshire for a bit of R&R with some friends.

On Monday, I left Didcot in Oxfordshire, to collect the RAAF headstone photos in South Wales. First to Pembrey which is past Swansea to place (2) Australian flags then back to Llantwit Major where there are (5) Australians and which is also the birthplace of my great great grandfather. I walked along his "Colhugh Street" then headed down to Plymouth where there were (3) more Aussies. One in the Hooe (St John) Churchyard which I took, one I could not find in Ford Park however found it with help on Monday and one I could not get into.

I could not take the photo or place a flag at the grave of Sgt Morris Solomon in the Jewish Cemetery as it was surrounded by high walls and locked high gates. Ron Goldstein will have to work on this one for me.

Ford Park Cemetery in Plymouth is an abomination. Grass high, Prickles, Potholes and except for one naval plot I did not see two CWGC headstones side by side. The CWGC describe the headstones as "scattered".

Someone has cut the grass around many of the war headstones so people can trod however it is a sad indictment on the trust.

On Tuesday, I drove from Plymouth to Surrey and finally arrived after congested motorways, broken phone etc etc etc to meet Peter Clare much later than the time agreed at the Air Forces Memorial which is a truly inspiring.

Dinner and a good chat made the day worthwhile in the end and then drove across to Essex) (Southend & Canvey Island) where 1900 miles later I rested today.

Tomorrow off to Ipswich!

 

Geoff,

It looks like you are keeping up your hectic schedule.

Looking forward to meeting you at Spandau Station.

Regards
Tom

 

Geoff,

It looks like you are keeping up your hectic schedule.

Looking forward to meeting you at Spandau Station.

Regards
Tom

Hi Tom,

Hectic but rewarding. Will look forward to a couple at the legion. Can't wait.

I will have all 245 at Rheinberg completed by then, so a not so hectic Berln.

Cheers

Geoff