Lest we Forget.

[MicCanberra]

We have been abroad for quite a few Anzac days and been involved in some ceremonies. They have been very moving and on one particular one in South Africa at a bush camp an almost joyous occasion. The staff at the game park thought it was a celebration rather than a commemoration, and surprised us, we all just couldn't  help but join in with their eagerness to show us a party.

We said thank you and explained the occasion, had a solemn ceremony and then afterwards had a wonderful breakfast. They now know and appreciate what it means. Thinking back it also showed that there can be some joy as we recognise those who made the sacrifice.

 

What are some of your overseas experiences ?

 

 

 

 

[MicCanberra]

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

[Cbtours]

2 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

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

We live in a lifestyle community NOT a retirement village 😁 and we had a dawn service at 5.30am. This is our third year since it’s been open. Very moving, with two vets laying wreaths and hoisting flag etc. then all had Brekky afterwards. We had the majority of homeowners there and it was very moving time.

[mr walker]

We are currently traveling back from QLD & are in TamworthNSW where I attended the Dawn Service this morning instead of usual home venue of Penrith. Good turnout & lovely service.

Lest we forget

[Bowm54]

Anzac day Singapore 1970s.

[Blackduck59]

I shall raise a glass of the good stuff to the fallen. We haven't been anywhere but home for Remembrance Day but have been to the Vimy Memorial and attended the nightly last post at Mennen Gate.

To the fallen, lest we forget. 

[MicCanberra]

6 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

I shall raise a glass of the good stuff to the fallen. We haven't been anywhere but home for Remembrance Day but have been to the Vimy Memorial and attended the nightly last post at Mennen Gate.

To the fallen, lest we forget. 

Salute

[Kristelle]

• Ive never been overseas on Anzac day
•  

we have often gone to the local dawn service.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Lest We Forget

[possum52]

Not ANZAC Day, but have been at sea on a cruise on Remembrance Day where there was a short service broadcast over the ship's PA. We had to ask a group of international passengers to stop talking during it which was disappointing. 

 

My son and granddaughter attended the service at the Shrine in Melbourne this morning and my husband laid a wreath on behalf of our fire brigade at a dawn service at the local RSL. I watched the Currumbin service on TV and watched the streaming of the Melbourne service on my laptop at the same time. Just watching the service at Gallipoli. Then it will be time for the football at the G.

[Hammer61]

Young lady at the gym reception yesterday afternoon as i was leaving said have a happy Anzac day! Made me smile at first then i thought how sad. Maybe some people just see it as a day off rather than a day of reflection and respect to those who gave their lives. 

 

I hope this day is something that never gets dropped or changed to suit business or politicians and this day is kept and respected for many years to come, as the saying goes 'lest we forget" but seems some already have.

[Blackduck59]

8 minutes ago, Hammer61 said:

Young lady at the gym reception yesterday afternoon as i was leaving said have a happy Anzac day! Made me smile at first then i thought how sad. Maybe some people just see it as a day off rather than a day of reflection and respect to those who gave their lives. 

 

I hope this day is something that never gets dropped or changed to suit business or politicians and this day is kept and respected for many years to come, as the saying goes 'lest we forget" but seems some already have.

 

This is indeed sad. I know it is a long journey, but Australians should be encouraged to go to Gallipoli. To be there is to understand. For Canada our Battle was Vimy Ridge, April 9th, 1917. We don't have "Vimy Day". Much of our youth know nothing about it. I have seen first hand how young people have an instant understanding when they actually see the "crosses row on row, that mark the place". Of course they aren't crosses now that the battles are over, but standard headstones. Go to the battlefields, you will never forget.

[possum52]

6 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

 

This is indeed sad. I know it is a long journey, but Australians should be encouraged to go to Gallipoli. To be there is to understand. For Canada our Battle was Vimy Ridge, April 9th, 1917. We don't have "Vimy Day". Much of our youth know nothing about it. I have seen first hand how young people have an instant understanding when they actually see the "crosses row on row, that mark the place". Of course they aren't crosses now that the battles are over, but standard headstones. Go to the battlefields, you will never forget.

Many Australians do go to Gallipoli Lyle and there are quite a few different tours to cater for them. I know quite a few who visited either on ANZAC Day or while visiting Turkey as part of holiday in Europe. A couple visited while working in the UK. Many all also visit the battle sites in France and Belgium and in particular Villers Bretonneux. 

 

We are very aware as a nation what Anzac Day means to us and it is the same I think in NZ. There were 40,000 people at the Melbourne Dawn Service at the Shrine at 5.30am this morning and probably similar numbers at other capital city services. My ten year old granddaughter has been asking her parents for the past couple of years to take her to the Dawn Service at the Shrine - they usually attend a local service. She evidently took it all in and wants to attend every year. There are always many children and teenagers at the various services and marches and I think that even primary school children learn about the battles of both world wars. 

[Sparky74]

I was invited to conduct an early ANZAC Day service at an aged care facility yesterday and then attended three services today. I was surprised that most of the crowd today didn’t sing the national anthem. At the nursing home yesterday, they sang well. 

[Cbtours]

18 minutes ago, Sparky74 said:

I was invited to conduct an early ANZAC Day service at an aged care facility yesterday and then attended three services today. I was surprised that most of the crowd today didn’t sing the national anthem. At the nursing home yesterday, they sang well. 

Looking good Mark 🥰 keep up the good work 👏

[Bubbeh]

20 hours ago, Hammer61 said:

Young lady at the gym reception yesterday afternoon as i was leaving said have a happy Anzac day! Made me smile at first then i thought how sad

I understand that the RSL and the Federal Government had come out earlier in the week and requested that people did not wish each other a 'Happy Anzac Day' as it was a commemoration not a celebration and doing so was inappropriate.  I was involved in a discussion about this shortly afterwards and I explained it thus:  January 27th is Holocaust Remembrance Day, would you wish a Jewish person a happy Holocaust Day?  My point was accepted.

[Bubbeh]

In 2015 Grumpy and I were on the official Gallipoli Cruise (https://gallipolicruise2015.com.au/) which left from Fremantle via Albany and traveled the same route as the diggers ending in Rome some 35 days later.  We had the most wonderful of experiences, touring the Peninsular the day prior to Anzac Day and anchoring just 1km off shore for the Dawn Service.  I could go on indefinitely about this but, suffice to say this was our most memorable Anzac Day event.  We've also had other great Anzac Days, one year we travelled to Melbourne for the Anzac Day Game between Essendon and Collingwood, this also lives in my memory as a wonderful experience.  Our tradition though, is always to watch the game together, with wine/beer and snacks in abundance and the only year we failed to this since 1995 was the year we were in Turkey when the feed to the ship was interrupted and there were many very disappointed people wearing their team's guernseys.  Just reminiscing here.

Edited April 25 by Bubbeh

[NSWP]

Anyone who says 'Happy Anzac Day' should be sent to the trenches. 25 Apil is a day of solemn remembrance.

[Bubbeh]

50 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Anyone who says 'Happy Anzac Day' should be sent to the trenches. 25 Apil is a day of solemn remembrance

While you may have a very valid point, can we try education in the first instance before sending people off to the trenches?

[NSWP]

Take your point, yes education is needed, my reference to trenches was merely jocular, but you know what I mean. 

[Blackduck59]

I think maybe Leigh misunderstood my point. I like the idea of education, helping people understand what ANZAC Day is all about. Happy Anzac Day is an oxymoron. Just as Happy Remembrance day wouldn't fly here. I find the tradition of your dawn service a moving thing. We will be at sea on the final leg of our voyage home on ANZAC Day next year, Hopefully we can get something organized for a dawn remembrance. I know there are folks from Australia and New Zealand on the cruise. If they want to do it I would be honoured to attend.

[MicCanberra]

There is normally something offered even if it is an informal gathering. I suggest you ask any Aussies or Kiwis you meet and join them.

[Blackduck59]

16 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

There is normally something offered even if it is an informal gathering. I suggest you ask any Aussies or Kiwis you meet and join them.

Thanks Mic, I thought that may be the case.

[Mareblu]

We’re still aboard Oceania Vista, and yesterday, ANZAC Day, were in Mykonos.  We were all back on board (Aussies and Kiwis) for the 4.15pm commemoration service in the theatre.  Very moving, with recital of The Ode, Last Post, and hymns and both national anthems.  The poem I’m posting was read beautifully by an Australian female passenger.  Brought tears to our eyes. Bravo, Oceania, and CD Peter, who organised this moving reflection and homage on their own initiative.  Lest We Forget.

[MicCanberra]

Well done Oceania