ANZAC Day Reflection

[JonClarke]

I WAS ONLY NINETEEN

Mum and Dad and Denny saw the passing-out parade at Puckapunyal
It was a long march from cadets.
The sixth battalion was the next to tour, and it was me who drew the card.
We did Canungra, Shoalwater before we left.

And Townsville lined the footpaths as we marched down to the quay
This clipping from the paper shows us young and strong and clean.
And there's me in my slouch hat with my SLR and greens.
God help me, I was only nineteen.

From Vung Tau, riding Chinooks, to the dust at Nui Dat
I'd been in and out of choppers now for months.
But we made our tents a home, VB and pinups on the lockers
And an asian orange sunset through the scrub.

And can you tell me, doctor, why I stil can't get to sleep?
And night-time's just a jungle dark and a barking M16?
And what's this rash that comes and goes, can you tell me what it means?
God help me, I was only ninteen.

A four week operation when each step could mean your last one on two legs
It was a war within yourself.
But you wouldn't let your mates down til they had you dusted off
So you closed your eyes and thought about something else.

Then someone yelled "Contact!" and the bloke behind me swore
We hooked in there for hours, then a Godalmighty roar
Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon,
God help me, he was going home in June.

I can still see Frankie, drinking tinnies in the Grand Hotel
On a thirty-six hour rec leave in Vung Tau
And I can still hear Frankie, lying screaming in the jungle
Til the morphine came and killed the bloody row.

And the Anzac legends didn't mention mud and blood and tears
And the stories that my father told me never seemed quite real.
I caught some pieces in my back that I didn't even feel
God help me, I was only nineteen.

And can you tell me, doctor, why I still can't get to sleep?
And why the Channel Seven chopper chills me to my feet?
And what's this rash that comes and goes, can you tell me what it means?
God help me, I was only nineteen.

John Schumann/Redgum

Lest We Forget

[Josh]

Lest We Forget!

I had dinner last night with my family. My parents, my sister, my aunty and uncle and .. my grandparents. My grandfather was a pilot in the New Zealand air force in WWII (back when NZ had an air force). Went from NZ at the age of 18 to Canada to train and then off to England. His sister died last Wednesday so I'm not sure if it was that or the fact that it's ANZAC day today, but he ended up telling lots of family history and lots and lots of war stories.

- The last things his parents said to him before he shipped off.

- That he joined the air force because they got to sleep in real beds.

- The thrill of the training.

- What things were like back then in England.

- What it was like to fly over continental Europe and in particular Germany.

- Meeting my grandmother at a dance.

- What it was like to have bombs falling all around you in London.

- How beautiful Bath (the city) was where he was stationed for a time and eventually got married.

- Watching his friend come in for a hard landing after returning from a mission and the plane catching fire ... his friend rushed out of the plane but was also engulfed in flames and didn't make it, dying in my grandfather's arms.

There's a joke amongst my family that the wives always manage to interrupt their husbands during the stories they're telling. But last night my grandma was just looking at him with pride and holding his hand, hanging off every word ... as we all were. Was really beautiful to see.

His stories were beautiful and horrible and I'm very proud of everything he did and why.

And thanks to all who serve and protect Australia and New Zealand.

[AndrewJ]

Shocking war - Canada and Europe were wise to stay out of it.

I vistited Gelibolu (Gallipoli) a couple of years ago. The bravery of a handful of Turks in initially repelling the ANZACS is too often forgoten amongst all the Allied recriminations.

[Wizard From Oz]

Shocking war - Canada and Europe were wise to stay out of it.

I vistited Gelibolu (Gallipoli) a couple of years ago. The bravery of a handful of Turks in initially repelling the ANZACS is too often forgoten amongst all the Allied recriminations.

I would have to say as a general observation that the ANZACS themselves had enormous respect for their enemy. It has often been said that many of the diggers were better freinds with the enemy than their own officers

With the trenchs so close together, swapping rations was suprisingly common. Though Johnny Turk never quite got his head around bully beef lol

[JonClarke]

There is a Youtube video of the John Schumann/Redgum version at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urtiyp-G6jY

[pzkpfw]

I vistited Gelibolu (Gallipoli) a couple of years ago. The bravery of a handful of Turks in initially repelling the ANZACS is too often forgoten amongst all the Allied recriminations.

Over the decades the link between those who faught on both sides has become well recognised. (Though it probably took longer than it should have).

This might be interesting: http://www.mch.govt.nz/emblems/monuments/ataturk.html

Ataturk (divisional commander at Gallipoli, later first president of Turkey) said in 1934:
Those heroes who 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 in this country of ours. You, the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears, your sons are now lying in our bosoms and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they become our sons as well.

Brings tears to my eyes every time.

Handful? Initially, maybe, but overall the Turks suffered almost twice as many deaths from the campaign as the Allies combined. That adds perspective to the goodwill from Ataturk.

[JonClarke]

It was a magnificent statement from a true statesman. Part of the fruits of this is that there is a Turkish memorial on ANZAC parade in Canberra and Turkish veterans and their descendents march every ANZAC day. It would be wponderful if all wars led to such a legacy. At today's dawn service at Gallipolli this morning there were wreaths laid by representatives from Australia, NZ, UK, France, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turk, and Germany.

[KaiYeves]

Wonderful poem.

[AndrewJ]

I would have to say as a general observation that the ANZACS themselves had enormous respect for their enemy.

Oh, definitely, the mutual respect between the various combatants in that war reflects the bravery shown on all sides. What was notable about the ANZACS was their loyal service for the British Empire (although the desire to maintain naval supremacy that underpinned the British involvement was in the Dominions' interest, the cause of Belgian sovereignty was not).

I believe that Turkish zeal and Attaturk's presence at the front line was the reason for a home win at Gallipoli rather than oft-cited errors in an intial nightime landing in which any number of variables could have gone awry. The Turkish victory was all the more imnpressive in light of previous defeats to the Serbs and Greeks (two nations you would not want on the other side).

[Wizard From Oz]

It was a magnificent statement from a true statesman. Part of the fruits of this is that there is a Turkish memorial on ANZAC parade in Canberra and Turkish veterans and their descendents march every ANZAC day. It would be wponderful if all wars led to such a legacy. At today's dawn service at Gallipolli this morning there were wreaths laid by representatives from Australia, NZ, UK, France, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turk, and Germany.

I saw a documentary a couple of years ago where some Desert Rats were invited to a reunion of the Afrika Corps. It was inspiring to see how everyone interacted. No malice, hate etc. Germans were on a mission to get the Australians drunk, and tell them as many funny war stories as was possible in the time allowed.

It made me realise, rather than being some terrible monster, the enemies of the past were as much average joe's as our boys and girls. And just like our service people, their priority was surviving, following orders, and not letting their commrads down.

[Wizard From Oz]

I believe that Turkish zeal and Attaturk's presence at the front line was the reason for a home win at Gallipoli rather than oft-cited errors in an intial nightime landing in which any number of variables could have gone awry. The Turkish victory was all the more imnpressive in light of previous defeats to the Serbs and Greeks (two nations you would not want on the other side).

The sad part was years after the war, it was discovered that if the combined forces present during the battle had reached all their objectives, it would have meant nothing. The major line of hills they thought overlooked the straits....dont :cry:

[JonClarke]

Wonderful poem.

Great song too, it hit #1 in Oz and was four months in the top 4. The song had a major impact on the acceptance of the Vietnam experience by mainstream culture. Prior to then it was largely marginalised, as in the US. A quote from the song appears on the official war memorial.

[Wizard From Oz]

Great song too, it hit #1 in Oz and was four months in the top 4. The song had a major impact on the acceptance of the Vietnam experience by mainstream culture. Prior to then it was largely marginalised, as in the US. A quote from the song appears on the official war memorial.

Anyone seeking out the song, I would highly recommend the live version. With a lot of the orchestration and sound effects removed, it actually comes across more intensely

Another song that examined the effects of the Vietnam War was Khe Sahn by Cold Chisel. This song deals more with the emotional nightmare many vets had to deal with when they got home

Khe Sanh by Cold Chisel

I left my heart to the sappers 'round Khe Sahn
And I sold my soul with my cigarettes, to a black market man
I've had to Vietnam cold turkey, from the ocean to the silver city
And it's only other vets could understa-and
'Bout the long forgotten dockside guarantees
How there were no V-day heroes in nineteen seventy-three
How we sailed into Sydney Harbour, I saw an old friend but I couldn't kiss her
And she was lined, and I was home to the lucky land

She was like so many more from that time on
Their lives were all so empty, until they'd found there chosen one
And their legs were often open but their minds were always closed
And their hearts were held in fast suburban chains

And the legal pads were yellow, hours long paypackets lean
And the telex writers clattered where the gunships once had been
The carparks made me jumpy and I never stopped the dreams
Or the growing need for speed and novacaine

So I worked across the country from end to end
I tried to find a place to settle down, where my mixed up life could mend
I held a job on an oil-rig, a-flyin' choppers when I could
But the nightlife nearly drove me round the bend

And I've travelled round the world from year to year-ear-ear
And each one found me aimless, one more year the worse for wear
And I've been back to South East Asia, you know the answer sure ain't there
But I'm driftin' north to check things out agai-ai-ain

Well the last plane out of Sydney's almost go-one
And only seven flyin' hours, till I'll be landin' in Hong Kong
And there ain't nothin' like the kisses from a jaded Chinese princess
I'm gonna hit some Hong Kong mattress all night lo-ong

Well the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone

[KaiYeves]

I assume that "the day that mankind kicked the moon" means July 20th?

[Wizard From Oz]

I assume that "the day that mankind kicked the moon" means July 20th?

Yeah, the point of the line was that regular army service person, unlike National Service boys didn't always get pulled out of active service as soon as their tour was up. Danny actually gets hurt a month after he should have been back on the boat for home