I have posted the above photograph before, but do so again today in recognition of today - ANZAC Day - arguably Australia's most important national occasion.ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action, (Gallipoli in Turkey) fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs.
The Australian War Memorial website describes ANZAC Day as follows.
"25 April is an occasion of national commemoration. Commemorative services are held at dawn, the time of the original landing, across the nation. Later in the day ex-servicemen and women meet and join in marches through the major cities and many smaller centres. Commemorative ceremonies are held at war memorials around the country. It is a day when Australians reflect on the many different meanings of war."
American readers may be interested to know that sailors from the USS Lassen, which is currently docked in Sydney, took part in today's march - as did former US veterans.
Even the Turks, who we fought against at Gallipoli and have great respect for, participated in the march. Two Turks carried a banner that I found particularly moving - a picture of an Aussie and a Turk, with the slogan, "Forever in friendship".
Lest we forget?
Sadly, too many leaders in too many countries have sold the memory. Ninety-two years on and young men and young women go off to foreign lands only to return home in flag draped coffins, (except of course for the children of the Bush clan, who come home slumped in the back of police cars). They don't die at home fighting to defend the land of their birth - they die in alien, unfriendly lands for reasons that forever change.
"What are we dying for today Jack?"
"If it's Wednesday Bob, it must be saving the free world from terrorism day. Tomorrow is bringing peace and stability day".
"But we've had terrorism for decades. Look at the plane hijackings in the 70s, and the largely American financed IRA bombing campaigns in the UK. We didn't go to war then."
"No mate - it wasn't profitable then."
And men in fine suits - the men who send the Jacks and the Bobs to die, say many fine words while wiping away scripted tears from their eyes. Then they return to their offices and hide behind desks to sign away the lives of many more sons and daughters, to do what they themselves skilfully avoided in the past.
