ANZAC Day....... a day of Reflection

[derekwarner_decoy]

Anzac Day is a National public holiday and is considered one of the most spiritual and solemn days of the year in Australia and New Zealand

Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. The acronym ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, whose soldiers were known as Anzacs. The pride they took in that name endures to this day

They shall grow not old,
As we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun,
And in the morning
We will remember them. Lest we Forget

[steamboatmodel]

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

In Canada our Remembrance Service is November 11Th.

    In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.


We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.


Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— John McCrae
If you value your freedom thank a veteran, We should especially remember those who are bringing freedom today.
Regards,
Gerald

[Roderick Smith]

Google has a fairly ferocious reputation for arrogance.
One of its better features is the provision of variations on its standard logo to mark special events around the world.
I enclose today's gesture from Google Australia, which you won't see if you go to other versions: a Flanders poppy.

Last year on Anzac day, a different one of the transport groups to which I belong was discussing the war cemetery at Kanchanburi (Thailand).  The construction of the Thailand - Burma railway through 'Hellfire Pass' is one of the major aspects of Australia's involvement in the Pacific War in WWII.

I posted then: ‘Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn’.  Many of my great uncles went to WWI; not all returned.  Those killed, the family thinks of as young men (from photos); those who returned, the family thinks of as old men (which was how they were to a young boy growing up in the 1950s).  On Sat.27.1.01, I visited the war cemetery at Kanchanburi (Thailand, the base for Burma railway construction).  It is tended beautifully.  Many nationalities are buried there.  There is a museum of photos and memorabilia at the site.  I was struck with the youth of so many of those who died and were buried there: little (if any) older than the students whom I was teaching.  It wasn’t hard to visualise a whole suburban/country football team of 18 yos signing up together for the adventure, heading off together, and dying together.  The survivors came home and married the sisters of their friends; now they are taken by their grandchildren to the ceremonies.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Red_Hamish]

Hello gentlemen, a good friend of our family is a New Zealander and een her in Lerwick there was a ceremony for the ex-pats this morning. I have yet to talk to Martin so I don't know how many attended on the beautiful sunrise but I'll try to find out for you. I believe there are a couple  of dozen who are known to each outher throug the ties to the new countries.

yours aye

Jim