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Friday 25 April 2014

25 April - Anzac Day - we will remember them - 2014

25th April - is Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand - and this Anzac day is the 99th anniversary of the landing in Gallipoli.

"ANZAC Day goes beyond the anniversary of the landing on Gallipoli in 1915. It is the day we remember all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. The spirit of ANZAC, with its human qualities of courage, mateship, and sacrifice, continues to have meaning and relevance for our sense of national identity".

 To read more please for to the Australian War Memorial web site - click here - www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/anzac/

This image is from the Shrine of Rememberance in Melbourne....
 

 All across Australia and New Zealand in cities and towns, overseas where servicemen are still serving, where Australians and New Zealanders gather, at memorials in France, and on the shores of Gallipoli  where thousands go every Anzac Day to honour and remember, even at the Australian base in Antarctica, there are Dawn Services, parades and ceremonies to remember those that gave the supreme sacrifice.

 To keep reading and see more pics, please click on "read more" .....

This image below is from today's Dawn Service at the War Memorial in Bunbury, Western Australia.  As the last strains of the "Last Post" rings out in the still morning air, and heads are bowed for the minute's silence, a lump wells in my throat and tears come to my eyes as I think of those young men and women on distant shores. 

Every year the crowd seems to get bigger. With conflicts around the world today, perhaps this simple ceremony has just as much relevance as it did at the first Anzac Day dawn service.
Please click here to learn more about the origins of the Dawn Service - Our-history/Traditions/Dawn-Service


 There are many grand war memorials around Australia, and indeed around the world. Below is the Eternal Flame and the War Memorial in Perth, Western Australia.



But somehow I think the lonely war memorials in towns that have faded away are more poignant. This one in the image below is at Coorabie in South Australia. I wondered if anyone lays wreaths in remembrance of these young men. 

My father told me today that he remembers his mother putting together comfort packs during WW2 that people in Australia sent via the Red Cross to troops serving overseas and also to prisoners of war. Food stuffs such as fruit cakes, Anzac biscuits, tins of fruit, knitted socks and balaclavers, and other items were put into the tin - as much as could be pushed into a 4 pound tin. The tin was then sealed and stitched into calico on which could be written a message. Dad said that sometimes the fruit cake, which was laced with brandy, was sometimes hollowed out and a small bottle of brandy put inside. 

I haven't made Anzac biscuits for years - it is an Australian favourite - I might need to make some I think! 
If you want to know more about the Anzac biscuit - please click here - Anzac biscuits
 


 In January 2012 we visited our national capital, Canberra. The images below are from the Australian War Memorial. It is also a museum which is an amazing place to visit - and I encourage all Australian's to visit at least once in their life time - and allow at least one whole day to see it. The museum takes you through all the various conflicts up to the present day that Australians have been involved in - and gives you an insight into what our "diggers" went through and the thousands and thousands of lives that have been lost.


The dome at the end houses the "tomb of the unknown soldier", and on either side under the arches are the names of those that lost their lives in WW1 and WW2. 
 You can place a poppy next to the name of your loved one. 


We found the name of my great-uncle Norman Albert Clayden who lost his life in Gallipoli on 2 May 1915 (aged 19), and
my husbands uncle, Richard Ramsden who died as a prisoner of war on 29 October 1943 in Burma (aged 23).

As they are both buried overseas, Norman at Lone Pine in Gallipoli and Richard at Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery in Myanmar (Burma), it was wonderful to be able to place a poppy next to their names at the Canberra War Memorial.
When I look at Richard's photo I see a young man smiling back at me, proud, fun loving, an Aussie bloke.
And I think about these two young men and the circumstances under which they died so far from home, buried on foreign soil, and how it must have affected their mother's and father's and families. 



The statue below is a copy of one originally forming part of a memorial which was erected at Port Said, Egypt, and unveiled on 23 November 1932, to remember members of the Australian Light Horse, New Zealand Mounted Rifles, the Imperial Camel Corps, and the Australian Flying Corps, who lost their lives in Egypt, Palestine, and Syria 1916-1918.  The statue was irreparably damaged during the Suez crisis in 1956.  The remnants were brought to Australia and two bronze replicas were made, the first, which you can see below, was erected in Albany, Western Australia in 1964, and the second is at the War Memorial in Canberra.



I have been to the memorial in Albany many times - and I have always been in awe of the image that the statue portrays of the two servicemen and their horses. Albany was the place from where Australian troops left on their way to fight in World War 1. For many thousands it was the last time they were to be on Australian soil. 


On display in Canberra is one of the bronze horse heads, the last remaining fragment from the original Charles Web Gilbert's Desert Mounted Corps memorial at Port Said, and now forming a memorial  to "Animals in War". For those who have seen the wonderful movie "War Horse", it is heart warming that a memorial has been erected in their memory.



In May 2014 I was approached by the Westphalian Horse Museum in Germany via email with a request to use two of my images (including this one above) in a book they were producing for their Horse and War exhibition 25 June 2014-26 October 2014.
Here is what they said:
 
 The Westphalian Horse Museum in Germany is currently working on its new temporary exhibition “Horse and War”, which will open in June 2014  and will end in October 2014. With the main focus on World Wars I and II the exhibition will visualize how horses and other animals have to “function” under extreme circumstances in war times. The exhibition will be realized with the support of our cooperation partner, the Military Museum Dresden, Germany. 

 One section of our exhibition deals with horses as heroes in war. There we like to show some memorials, for example the Animals in War memorial in Canberra. On your homepage you have a photo of this memorial

 Below here you can see the cover of the book - 



Following the Dawn Service in Bunbury in 2012 we were blessed with this beautiful sunrise - blood red, it was a timely reminder of all that we have to be thankful and grateful for.....


My sincere thanks to Flickr contact Stewart Glasson who took the time to research and send me links from The War Graves Photographic Project which has lead us to more information about Norman and Richard - including an actual photo of Richard's grave site, and information about the Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery in Myanmar and background information and history about the war years and the people who are buried there.
We sincerely thank you. 

Please click on the link here if you want to do research of your own - War Graves Photographic Project

Thanks for stopping by. Do you go to the Anzac Day Dawn Service or Parade?
Does Anzac Day have a special meaning to you? Have you made Anzac biscuits?

I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to Mosaic Monday, Travel Photos Monday, Our World Tuesday, Wednesday Around the World, Travel Photo Thursday, What's It Wednesday, and Oh the Places I've Been. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday
Travel Photo Mondays
Our World Tuesday
Wednesday Around the World  
What's It Wednesday
Travel Photo Thursday
 Oh The Places I've Been

You might also like - 

Celebrating Australia Day and Waltzing Matilda


22 comments:

  1. What a lovely tribute.

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  2. Beautiful tribute post on this important Holiday.

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  3. Jill, A lovely tribute. We all have a lot to be thankful for, especially the brave soldiers who give their lives to serve their countries. Great post and photos. Enjoy your new week!

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  4. It's great to really remember these places and the people that served - great post Jill

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  5. Great anzac day photos. The trauma and loss never went away for those who lost family in WWII - and I imagine it is the same for those lost in more recent conflicts.

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  6. Interesting to see all the different memorials to those Australians who have died at war. It's a shame that we haven't found a better way to solve our differences and young men and women are still losing their lives.

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  7. We have lost so many and yet we continue in war after war ... some that should never have been started. We take the time to honor the dead, but we don't prevent more from dying ... it is so sad that our men and women lose thier futures to a causes that are not honest and worthy. This post is beautiful. I live in the US and we have many memorials and ceremonies ... I pray that when we leave Afganistan, we don't get involved in any more pointless wars. Fight if we must, but not over oil or greed. Let it be for the sake of freedoms and mankind. I admire that these lost people live in your heart, Jill. They deserve your tribute ...

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  8. Love your tribute to Anzac Day Jill. I was in Albany on Anzac Day so was awestruck by that magnificent statue on top of Mt Clarence of the Lighthorsemen. It was a very moving experience being on top of the hill with views over the harbor where our Anzacs departed for Gallipoli almost 100 years ago. Very nicely done.

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  9. Very special, and very well done Jill. We too have many memorials and while so beautiful those tributes, I weep for the loss is so great for all. My husby is a Viet Nam Veteran and we mourn for many. You did a wonderful job at putting this together Jill~

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  10. Jill, this is a very touching post. It brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for explaining Anzac Day, Jill. Christa

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  11. I remember well my Grandmother talking of socks and fruitcakes sent to the Diggers. I too love the old neglected memorial. It all became real to us on our trip to the Gallipoli Peninsula last year in Turkey.

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  12. Beautiful tribute, Jill, and some lovely memories.
    I like the inscription on the monument.

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  13. I've been to Gallipoli and found it very moving. The war cemeteries are superbly well looked after lest we forget. Time to make some Anzac biscuits again I reckon!

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  14. My Aussie friend showed me how to make Anzac biscuits and gave me her recipe. They are very delicious. The sight of all those poppies lining that memorial made me realize that even though these men are gone, they are not forgotten. When you mentioned that your relatives were buried on foreign soil, it made me so sad as it must be so hard to travel that far to honor them. The War Graves Photographic Project must bring peace to so many families to at least be able to get a picture of a loved ones' final resting place. Thank you for this thoughtful post.

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  15. Just found your beautiful blog...so many lovely pictures!
    Best wishes for a great weekend,
    Titti

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  16. Goodness me, you sure do pack a huge amount of information to your posts! I could
    spend yonks over here perusing your side of the world. Nice to "meet" you ;>]

    Christi

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  17. I do love your new header Jill and the quote with it. Perhaps that is what all of us who blog try to do in our own way. I have been reading the book Nella Last's War (the war diaries of a housewife). She talks about making them and about her sun immigrating to Australia after the war. I thought of you then. It is a beautiful quote about those who die young, I love it.

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  18. Seeing all my errors after it was published! SON, and Nella made the packages for the Red Cross as well. ;)

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  19. Thanks Jill, it's fantastic to see more people are interested in paying their respects to the veterans of all wars. I have been a collector of memorabilia for around 20 years mosty WW1, original uniforms etc. I have read a lot about the ANZACS over the years and they did some amazing things as well as the Nurses, as the new ANZAC Girls TV series shows us. What they had to go through would kill any normal human being today, they just would not cope. But yet there are still people today that you try to talk to about this subject and they just turn away or would rather watch some American TV show that's on at the same time (my sister being one of them!). Makes me angry, I'd like to put some of these people in a WW1 trench just for one day, that's all it would take to make them realize,...probably just for one minute would make them realize!
    I bought my sister the book on Narelle Hobbs an Australian Nurse that served in the QAIMNSR (Queen Alexandria's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve) but she's never been interested enough to actually read it???? But then she starts blabbering on about some American actor as if I should know who they are,............"Who bloody cares!" You have a book there I gave you about real people from this country who sacrificed their lives??? I can't work it out??? But anyway enough of my ramblings, some teenagers today complain that they are bored and have nothing to do,...well it could be a lot worse! I know,... put a bloody smile on your face an be happy that you have nothing to do!
    Narelle Hobbs would be disgusted in this attitude in the 3 years she worked as a Nurse during WW1 she had two weeks off from work.
    As I mentioned about my sister lets get our priorities correct about who's important and who's not in the real world?
    American actors or actresses you must be kidding me? Real people who did real things, most of them we don't even know what their names were??? LEST WE FORGET.
    I think the real people today are the ones that remember the real people who have gone before them? And have taken the time to listen to their story. As soon as I hear anything about a TV show that was on the same time as an historical show about the ANZACS I just walk away! It just makes my blood boil!
    Thanks Jill, sorry about the rant but there is still some ignorant people out there unfortunately.

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