ANZAC Day

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi everyone

Seeing that we are an international community I thought that I would share something of New Zealand’s history with you. We all have our public holidays but in New Zealand and Australia we have one day that is very special and that is called ANZAC day. That just happens to be yesterday the 25th of April.

ANZAC is short for Australia, New Zealand Army Corp. It has it’s origins in World War One on the beaches of Gallipoli in Turkey where both sides suffered dreadful losses of the cream of their young men. This was where New Zealand and Australia formed strong bonds of friendship and so ANZAC was born.

Today it has come to encompass the Boer War, WW1, WW2, Korea, Malaya, Borneo and Viet Nam and the NZ military peacekeepers stationed around the world.

The day is signified by everyone wearing a poppy on their lapel. The poppy came from Flanders Field in Belgium where it is said that they are the first flower to grow between the war graves.

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 gun below."

John McCrae
(1872-1918)

We have dawn parades all over the country that are well attended by all age groups where people gather to remember the sacrifices made by our grandparents, parents and brothers. It’s not a day to argue the rights or wrongs of war or the politics of it all. It is simply a day of remembrance and to give honour to the men and women that made the ultimate sacrifice.

They shall not grow old as we who 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.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[SamW]

Remember them we must, or decline to nothing!!! Thanks for the comments Andrew. S

 

[Crazy Horse]

Remember...

The begining line of the last stanza of our (U.S.) national anthem is...O! Thus be it ever when free men shall stand.... It suits your warriors well also.

 

[Ron Smith]

"No greater love hath a man than to give his life for his friends" .........I will remember them Andrew, my freedom cost our ancesters too much........we must be careful not to abuse our precious freedoms, right?
Ron S

 

[Dave London]

Thanks Andrew
We must remember the heros who have preserved the freedom we enjoy.

 

[Lee]

Amen to all that has been said.

 

[Mike Cirelli]

God bless the men that fought and fight for our freedom. May their service and sacrifices live forever in our hearts and souls and never be forgotten .

 

[monk]

there's but one way to honor those brave souls, and but one way to maintain that freedom and that's for each and every individual to act with a degree of responsibility and to look outward beyond the self to the greater good of all.

 

[Patternweldor]

So Very True, not a day goes by that one cannot think of all the sacrifices, that the men and women of our military, have made, past and present. To be ready at a moments notice, to stand against aggression, and defend our great country.
To stand with allies and to bring down tyranny..... without regard to their own personal safety or life...
This will never be taken for granted..... God Bless Them All !!!!

Thank-you Andrew.. and all the others for posting this...
Chris.

 

[KSnyder]

Well said Andrew, I have a movie that depicts the ANZAC forces in ww1. I also have a modest collection of Enfields , one is a Lithgow(Australian made) No. 1 Mk 111 built in 1943. It is shootable (very) and I get her out to breath fire about 3 times a year.
Never forget your fallen comrades & remember freedom is not free.
with great respect,
Kent

 

[Fred Bowen]

Hello Andrew. Are you familiar with the great Aussie songwriter Eric Bogle? He has written at least two great songs, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda and No Man's Land about the ANZAC in WWI.
One of my customers is a Turk who told me that the Turkish head of state (Pasha?) at one point wrote a letter to the people of Australia and New Zealand to tell them that the men who rest now in Turkey are honored and their graves will be tended with care and dignity.

 

[fegarex]

Andrew,
Thanks for sharing this with us.
We must remember our heros.

 

[Steve223]

Thanks Andrew,And thankyou to those who serve and have served in the Past!!

 

[Swede]

In this sometimes scary world we inhabit, the triangle formed by the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, has stood together through thick and thin. There are tens of thousands of older Marines in the U.S. who remember an incredibly warm welcome and hospitality from New Zealanders, as they staged out of there in the island-hopping campaigns of WW2. And in the Vietnam war, Australia and New Zealand sent troops who fought right next to U.S. soldiers, while Europe stood back and watched. In the U.S., the favorable opinion of Australia and New Zealand cannot be higher. They are looked upon as chums, kindred spirits, and freedom-loving peoples. May God Bless those who suffered and died to save us all.