Kiwi Phil
Commander
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2003
- Messages
- 2,182
On Sunday, we comemorate 25th April with what we call ANZAC Day. <br />That stands for "Australian and New Zealand Army Corp".<br />The 25 April is the day this Corps (along with Brit Army) attempted to invade Turkey at a place called Gallipoli, in the Darnanelles.<br />It was a disaster and the loss of life so great it bought the countries of Australia and New Zealand together to name their forces "ANZAC's", and that name has just become stronger over the years. <br />ANZAC day became the day we remember our dead..<br />Anyway, on Sunday, every little town across both countries will have a dawn service; followed by a mid morning service to commerorate their dead, and show appreciation to those that survived.<br />Returned Servicemen march in an organised parade, (well...the parade is organised, but not sure of the participants), residents line the streets and clap as we go by. Schools and every other community organisation march in the parade too.<br />When we get to the Returned Servicesmens Club, there is a service. <br />After that, for our small group, my wife takes a photo (and always says, "just in case we are one short next year" 
) and then it is into the club where we spend the next 6 hrs downing cold sherbitts, and wipe the dust off the old b/s stories. <br />Our wives collect us around 6pm, take us home, put us to bed, clean up any nasty's, and that's it for another year.<br />Our group consists of 2 Grunts, 2 Medics, 1 Sapper, 1 Driver, 1 Spotter Pilot.<br />Every year, we take turns during the march to say loudly, "Geez, you can still tell an Occifer by the way he marches"<br />My kid marches with his school and wears his Great-Granfathers medals.(on R side) G/G lost his R arm from the shoulder at the Somme. <br />My wife is an organiser with the school so wears her Uncles medals (on right hand side too) but he was a KIA, so she has a beautiful cross that in WWII was issued to all NOK, that is worn around the neck, called the Memorial Cross. He was also decorated. (The WWII veterans all give her a nod and quick smile when they see those. It is quite airy.)<br />Anyway in our family (wifes and mine) 3 grandparents served in WW1.All 3 wounded. In WW2 we had 1 Tank Comd, (KIA), 1 Sigs, 1 FAO, 1 RAF Bomber pilot, 1 RAF Mosquito pilot, 1 Fleet Air Arm pilot, 1 Flying Boat Nav. All were conscripted. None stayed in after the shows closed down.<br />None were English.<br />Anyway, I guess this little part of Australia that I live in is no different from the small towns or suburbs you guys too live in, and we probably all do the same things in the same way. Just have different names for them.<br />Cheers<br />Phillip
) and then it is into the club where we spend the next 6 hrs downing cold sherbitts, and wipe the dust off the old b/s stories. <br />Our wives collect us around 6pm, take us home, put us to bed, clean up any nasty's, and that's it for another year.<br />Our group consists of 2 Grunts, 2 Medics, 1 Sapper, 1 Driver, 1 Spotter Pilot.<br />Every year, we take turns during the march to say loudly, "Geez, you can still tell an Occifer by the way he marches"<br />My kid marches with his school and wears his Great-Granfathers medals.(on R side) G/G lost his R arm from the shoulder at the Somme. <br />My wife is an organiser with the school so wears her Uncles medals (on right hand side too) but he was a KIA, so she has a beautiful cross that in WWII was issued to all NOK, that is worn around the neck, called the Memorial Cross. He was also decorated. (The WWII veterans all give her a nod and quick smile when they see those. It is quite airy.)<br />Anyway in our family (wifes and mine) 3 grandparents served in WW1.All 3 wounded. In WW2 we had 1 Tank Comd, (KIA), 1 Sigs, 1 FAO, 1 RAF Bomber pilot, 1 RAF Mosquito pilot, 1 Fleet Air Arm pilot, 1 Flying Boat Nav. All were conscripted. None stayed in after the shows closed down.<br />None were English.<br />Anyway, I guess this little part of Australia that I live in is no different from the small towns or suburbs you guys too live in, and we probably all do the same things in the same way. Just have different names for them.<br />Cheers<br />Phillip
