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ANZAC Day

Started by ozbob, April 24, 2008, 12:15:12 PM

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ozbob

The Ode comes from For the Fallen, a poem by the English poet and writer Laurence Binyon
and was published in London in the Winnowing Fan; Poems of the Great War in 1914.

FOR THE FALLEN

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children
England mourns for her dead across the sea,
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow,
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

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.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again,
They sit no more at familiar tables of home,
They have no lot in our labour of the daytime,
They sleep beyond England?s foam.

But where our desires and hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the night.

As the stars shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are stary in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

"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."



RIP

This may be of interest:

Rail transport and Australia?s war effort  --> http://www.awm.gov.au/underattack/mobilise/rail.asp

The Australian War Memorial



Troops detraining, Clapham Junction 1943

Australian soldiers disembark at Clapham Junction, Queensland. They have travelled by troop train from Melbourne.


Image from http://www.awm.gov.au/underattack/enlarge.asp?item=3/5/3/7
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#1
John and I served together in the RAAMC and in Vietnam.
We completed recruit training and corps training together.  We were good mates.

John was MIA until his remains were finally located and then returned to Australia last December.

This is the transcript of the speech made by the Minister as John began the final trip home.

The Hon. Alan Griffin MP Minister for Veterans Affairs Transcript of Address at Ramp Ceremony for LCPL John Gillespie Hanoi, Vietnam - 17 December 2007

Members of the family of Lance Corporal John Francis Gillespie; Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Bill Tweddell; Major General Wilson; Brigadier Bill Rolfe, Repatriation Commissioner; Representatives of the Vietnamese Government and embassy officials; Jim Bourke and his Operation Aussies Home colleagues; Veterans, Ladies and Gentlemen.

This final journey that Lance Corporal John Gillespie is about to embark upon is a sorrowful yet welcome journey.

The grieving that started 36 years ago, has begun again as a necessary part of bringing this fine soldier and family man home.

Today a grateful nation proudly bears its special duty and obligation to its fallen. Never is that obligation higher than to those who have done all that Australia has asked, and in doing so paid the ultimate price.

Lance Corporal Gillespie enlisted in 1969. He was only 24 when he served and died here in Vietnam in 1971, and his body has been here since.

We Australians hurt when we have to leave a mate behind, and at this time of sorrow and solace the efforts of Peter Aylett and Jim Bourke of operation Aussies Home is recognised. The story of the passing and recovery of Lance Corporal Gillespie is one of the spirit of Australian mateship at its finest.

They were in the Long Hai Hills, now the Minh Dam Mountains, to recover a wounded Vietnamese soldier when the medical evacuation helicopter was shot down, trapping Lance Corporal Gillespie beneath the wreckage, which burst into flames. The RAAF crew fought to save their mate, but were unsuccessful.

Intense military activity in the area prevented recovery of Lance Corporal Gillespie's remains before the Australian forces withdrawal from Vietnam.

Many years on, a group of Vietnam veterans - Operation Aussies Home  has worked selflessly to find and seek identification of the remains of Australian soldiers listed as Killed in Action, body not recovered. Lance Corporal Richard Parker and Private Peter Gillson are already home thanks to their efforts. They persisted with their inquires, research and cajoling, to help us to where we are today.

The Australian Army recovery team has run a most careful and dignified operation to complete the mission so that we may start the process now to lay Lance Corporal Gillespie to rest.

It would not have been possible without the efforts of others, particularly the Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Bill Tweddell, and the wonderful cooperation of the Vietnamese Government. To the Government of Vietnam, Australia recognises and appreciates your generosity and helpful cooperation in the effort to find and identify John Gillespie.


We are here today with the family of Lance Corporal Gillespie and representatives of the Governments of Australia and Vietnam, the Australian Defence Forces and Vietnam veterans. We hope this journey that is about to begin is one of healing, however painful it may be. He has gone and soon he will return, carried by today's generation of servicemen and women, who like the rest of our grateful nation honour and remember the service and sacrifice of Lance Corporal Gillespie. He will always be remembered. [ENDS]


We must persist, nothing is not eventually achievable.

So long cobber!

LEST WE FORGET.
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PHU BAI, SOUTH VIETNAM. 1969. AN ARMOURED TRAIN ON THE ONLY OPERATING RAILWAY IN SOUTH VIETNAM, BETWEEN HUE AND DA NANG.

Photograph donated to the Australian War Memorial by Australian Army Training Team Vietnam
This photograph has commercial restrictions and by not be reproduced except under certain conditions.
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Seymour, Vic. 2 April 1967. Members of 7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR), wave from their train at Seymour as it prepares to pull out on the journey to Sydney, where the main body of the Battalion transferred to the troop carrier HMAS Sydney for movement to Vietnam. An Army band at the station gave the men a send off with `Now is the Hour'.

Photograph from the Australian War Memorial
This photograph has commercial restrictions and by not be reproduced except under certain conditions.

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EL KANTARA, EGYPT. 1942-01. A FREIGHT TRAIN ON THE MAIN LINE WHICH WAS CONSTRUCTED BY THE 2ND RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ENGINEERS. THE COUNTRY SHOWN IN THIS PHOTO IS TYPICAL OF THE ARID DESERT IN WHICH THE TRACKS WERE LAID.

Photograph from the Australian War Memorial
This photograph has commercial restrictions and by not be reproduced except under certain conditions.

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NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA. 1942-10-31. MEMBERS OF N.T. FORCE POSTAL UNIT UNLOADING AND SORTING INWARDS MAIL AT ADELAIDE RIVER RAILWAY STATION, INCLUDED IN THE GROUP ARE:- PRIVATE A. TRIGG, (EXTREME LEFT) SERGEANT L.L. WARE, (BENDING), PRIVATE L.F. DIX, (FACING CAMERA), PRIVATE W. BROCKLEY, (STANDING IN LORRY) AND PRIVATE S. ADAMS, (ON TOP OF RAILWAY TRUCK)

Photograph from the Australian War Memorial
This photograph has commercial restrictions and by not be reproduced except under certain conditions.


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19 April 1917. No. 6 and No. 8 Platoons, B Company, 4th Australian Pioneers shifting camp from the Butte de Warlencourt to Fremicourt by light railway. This photograph was taken at a small siding about a mile from the Butte towards Bapaume. The timber on the third truck and the two rear trucks was salvaged from a German Dump at the Butte de Walencourt.

Photograph from the Australian War Memorial
This photograph has commercial restrictions and by not be reproduced except under certain conditions.
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#7


Wampo (Wang Po), Thailand. 21 October 1945. A diesel rail car passing over the long trestle bridge commonly known as the Wampo viaduct. This tiered viaduct was built along the edge of the Kwai Noi river. The two main sections of the viaduct followed the bottom of the cliff for some distance. A ledge had to be carved out of the cliff face to form a base for the bridge and embankment construction. It was a dangerous and exhausting task for the prisoner of war (POW) work force. Wampo is approximately 114 kilometres north of Nong Pladuk (also known as Non Pladuk), or 300 kilometres south of Thanbyuzayat. Strengthened and rebuilt to the original design in the post-war years, the viaduct forms part of the railway which is still operational as far as Namtok (Tarsau).

Photograph from the Australian War Memorial
This photograph has commercial restrictions and by not be reproduced except under certain conditions.
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'Basil Sellers' Press Service International
www.bushorchestra.com
23 April 2009 Press Release

Troop trains remembered for ANZAC Day


Bill Sullivan's photograph of a 38 Class at high speed near Picton (near Sydney) on the main south (as they appeared during the 1939-45 war years). This photograph was in the Footplate Padre's fifteenth railway book, 'Grease Rag Yarns' published in 1993.


Footplate Padre Baptist minister Mark Tronson this ANZAC Day will be remembering not only those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of their country, but also the locomotive crews responsible for necessary and efficient movement of the troops back here at home, during the 1939-45 war.

The Railways was a protected industry. Unless a young fireman took absence without leave and signed-up into the military under a false name (which sometimes happened) these young men were retained.

"The main line between Sydney and Melbourne was the major military troop train line. The locomotive crews therefore had their work cut out transhipping vast numbers of troops," M V Tronson explained.

Those huge 38 class steam locomotives on these wartime troop trains left Sydney with a full tender of water which required refilling depending on the need, at Moss Vale, Goulburn, sometimes Harden or Cootamundra, then Junee and Albury.

It was to this last station that the Victorian S Class express steam locomotives hauled their own troop trains on the broader gauge track. The soldiers would then have to change trains (as did everyone at that time) at Albury.

Water was used up in huge quantities on the NSW side of the border due to the hilly terrain; the Victorian side was flatter, and water usage was not quite so heavy.

"Although the locomotive crews may not have been in the military, they gave their all to support the war effort; to the extent that only those crews recognised," M V Tronson recalled.

"The timetables demanded quick pick-up power from standing starts and maintenance of speeds so great that some of the older drivers recalled they travelled faster then, than any diesel-hauled train two decades later. The fireman watched the water gauge like hawks as the boiler transposed the water into steam."

"On this ANZAC Day part of my thinking will be remembering the effort those locomotive crews gave to secure the safe and speedy arrival of the troop trains under their care," M V Tronson noted. "This in my view has Christian commitment with its connotations of giving oneself wholly in good conscience."
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#9


CLAPHAM JUNCTION, QLD. 1944-12-08. A DRAFT FROM MELBOURNE BEING MARCHED FROM CLAPHAM JUNCTION RAIL PLATFORM TO CAMP HQ 1 PERSONNEL STAGING CAMP. THEIR TROOP TRAIN HAS COMPLETED A 5 DAY RAIL JOURNEY FROM MELBOURNE.

Photograph from the Australian War Memorial
This photograph has commercial restrictions and by not be reproduced except under certain conditions.
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#10


Vietnam  Vets (Long Tan) Day 18th August.

RIP

QuoteVietnam Veterans Day is commemorated on 18 August every year. The day was originally known as Long Tan Day, chosen to commemorate the men of D Company, 6RAR who fought in the battle of Long Tan in 1966. On that day, 108 Australian and New Zealand soldiers fought a pitched battle against over 2,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops in a rubber plantation not far from the small village of Long Tan. The Australians prevailed, but only after fighting in torrential rain for four hours. They were nearly overrun, but were saved by a timely ammunition resupply, accurate artillery fire from the nearby Australian base, and the arrival of reinforcements by armoured personnel carrier. Eighteen Australians lost their lives and 24 were wounded, the largest number of casualties in one operation since the Australian task force had arrived a few months earlier. After the battle the bodies of 245 enemy soldiers were found, but there was evidence that many more bodies had been carried away.

On the third anniversary of Long Tan, 18 August 1969, a cross was raised on the site of the battle by the men of 6RAR. Veterans from the battle gathered at the cross to commemorate the fallen, and the day was commemorated by them as Long Tan Day from then on. Over time, all Vietnam veterans adopted the day as one to commemorate those who served and died in Vietnam. In 1987, following the very successful Welcome Home parade for Vietnam veterans in Sydney, Prime Minister Bob Hawke announced that Long Tan Day would be known as Vietnam Veterans Day. Since then, it has been commemorated every year as the day on which the service of all those men and women who served in Vietnam is remembered.

http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2008/08/15/vietnam-veterans-day/
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From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Hundreds farewell killed Vietnam war airman

QuoteHundreds farewell killed Vietnam war airman
JIM CAMPBELL
September 3, 2009 - 7:07PM

Pilot Officer Robert Carver came home today to his hometown of Toowoomba - 39 years late.

But it was an emotional and historic homecoming of enormous importance to the serviceman's family and friends.

Acting parish priest Fr Geoff Poliness welcomed nearly 700 mourners to the full military service at St Luke's Church - the centrepiece of the parish that Pilot Officer Carver had a connection with so many years ago.

"We are reminded of the significance of this occasion in terms of the nation - the last men home," he said.

"But let us not forget that behind it all there is the life of a human being that we've come to honour."

The eulogy was shared between three speakers who each represented parts of Pilot Officer Carver's life.

Lieutenant Colonel Tony Ralph (retired) was a member of the cadets with Pilot Officer Carver in Toowoomba and spoke on behalf of the family.

"Freddy, welcome home. It's taken a long time, but we are glad you're here," he said.

The Commanding Officer of No. 2 Squadron, Wing Commander Luke Stoodley, spoke for the military and Group Captain Greg Weekes (retired) spoke for the No. 2 Squadron RAAF Association.

They each painted a picture of a young man eager to see the world and make a difference.

Also present at the service was Defence Minister John Faulkner and Air Force Chief Air Marshal Mark Binskin who presented the Carver family with the RAAF Ensign that had adorned the coffin.

At the conclusion of the service in the sun outside the church, three volleys were fired by a special guard of airmen and women before the Last Post and Reveille were played.

Then, in a final, roaring tribute, an RAAF F-111 performed a flypast.

The Anglican Bishop to the Defence Forces, Bishop Len Eacott, led the committal outside and provided a sense of final resolution for mourners after so many years of waiting.

"As a family, as a nation, as a community, we now leave Robert Carver to rest in peace," he said.

"Rest in peace Freddy."

Pilot Officer Carver's remains were later cremated in Toowoomba.

R.I.P.  Lest we forget ..
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Legacy week this week --> http://www.legacy.com.au/LegacyWeek

Say hello to the diggers and buy a badge!!
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#13
Remembrance Day (11 November) marks the anniversary of the armistice which ended the First World War (1914?18). Each year Australians observe one minute silence at 11 am on 11 November, in memory of those who died or suffered in all wars and armed conflicts.



Photograph Australian War Memorial

WALLUMBILLA, QUEENSLAND. C. 1915. A CROWD OF RESIDENTS OF THE TOWNSHIP WAITNG ON THE PLATFORM AT THE RAILWAY STATION FOR THE ARRIVAL OF A RECRUITING TRAIN.
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ANZAC Day 2010


http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/002837/16 Australian War Memorial Image copyright: Copyright expired - public domain


A crowd of friends, relatives and onlookers gather on the platform at the Port Melbourne railway station to greet troops of the 6th Division as they arrive for embarkation on the troopship which will take them to the Middle East.
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#15
ANZAC Day goes beyond the anniversary of the landing on Gallipoli in 1915. It is the day we remember all Australians 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 ...

http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/anzac/  25th April 2010




BEAUFORT, BORNEO, 1945-07-22. THE JEEP TRAIN, KNOWN AS THE MEMBUKUT SPECIAL, PULLING OUT OF THE LOCAL RAILWAY STATION LOADED WITH MEMBERS OF 24 INFANTRY BRIGADE. ON THE RETURN TRIP THE TRAIN WILL BRING BACK ROCK AND GRAVEL FROM THE QUARRY AT GREIG SIDING.

Photograph Australian War Memorial  Copyright expired - public domain

LEST WE FORGET ..
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http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/remembrance/tradition.asp


http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/EZ0191

A series of Baldwin 4-6-OT side tank locomotives takes in water from a water tank. The rectangular tanks in which the locomotives carried their water can be seen on the left hand side of each one. Wide and narrow gauge railways had to be constructed around the Somme battlefield when wet weather made roads impassable for men, horses and motor vehicles.
France c. 1918

QuoteAt 11 am on 11 November 1918 the guns of the Western Front fell silent after more than four years continuous warfare. The allied armies had driven the German invaders back, having inflicted heavy defeats upon them over the preceding four months. In November the Germans called for an armistice (suspension of fighting) in order to secure a peace settlement. They accepted the allied terms of unconditional surrender.

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month attained a special significance in the post-war years. The moment when hostilities ceased on the Western Front became universally associated with the remembrance of those who had died in the war. This first modern world conflict had brought about the mobilisation of over 70 million people and left between 9 and 13 million dead, perhaps as many as one-third of them with no known grave. The allied nations chose this day and time for the commemoration of their war dead.

On the first anniversary of the armistice in 1919 two minutes' silence was instituted as part of the main commemorative ceremony at the new Cenotaph in London. The silence was proposed by Australian journalist Edward Honey, who was working in Fleet Street. At about the same time, a South African statesman made a similar proposal to the British Cabinet, which endorsed it. King George V personally requested all the people of the British Empire to suspend normal activities for two minutes on the hour of the armistice "which stayed the worldwide carnage of the four preceding years and marked the victory of Right and Freedom". The two minutes' silence was popularly adopted and it became a central feature of commemorations on Armistice Day.

On the second anniversary of the armistice in 1920 the commemoration was given added significance when it became a funeral, with the return of the remains of an unknown soldier from the battlefields of the Western Front. Unknown soldiers were interred with full military honours in Westminster Abbey in London and at the Arc de Triumph in Paris. The entombment in London attracted over one million people within a week to pay their respects at the unknown soldier's tomb. Most other allied nations adopted the tradition of entombing unknown soldiers over the following decade.

After the end of the Second World War, the Australian and British governments changed the name to Remembrance Day. Armistice Day was no longer an appropriate title for a day which would commemorate all war dead.

In Australia on the 75th anniversary of the armistice in 1993 Remembrance Day ceremonies again became the focus of national attention. The remains of an unknown Australian soldier, exhumed from a First World War military cemetery in France, were ceremonially entombed in the Memorial's Hall of Memory. Remembrance Day ceremonies were conducted simultaneously in towns and cities all over the country, culminating at the moment of burial at 11 am and coinciding with the traditional two minutes' silence. This ceremony, which touched a chord across the Australian nation, re-established Remembrance Day as a significant day of commemoration.

Four years later, in 1997, Governor-General Sir William Deane issued a proclamation formally declaring 11 November to be Remembrance Day, urging all Australians to observe one minute's silence at 11 am on 11 November each year to remember those who died or suffered for Australia's cause in all wars and armed conflicts.

Lest we forget ..
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#18
Lest we forget ...

Anzac Beaches Area (Gallipoli), Turkey. c. October 1915.


http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/P00037.001updated link https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P00037.001

The light railway line used to move stores between Anzac Cove and North Beach as seen from near Ari Burnu. Note the tents of the Casualty Clearing Stations and Field Ambulance Units including the largest, in Reserve Gully, in the middle of the photograph with the Sphinx above and Walker's Ridge to the left.

The original caption reads `Walker's Ridge taken from Casualty Corner at Gallipoli giving a good idea what our fellows had to climb'.

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Deputy Premier and Attorney-General, Minister for Local Government and Special Minister of State
The Honourable Paul Lucas
07/09/2011

Diggers supported with moves to legalise two-up on Anzac Day

The tradition of honouring diggers with a game of two-up is set to be legalised with the Bligh Government to allow the game as part of Anzac Day celebrations.

Deputy Premier Paul Lucas said the Government would seek to amend the Charitable and Non profit Gaming Act 1999 to allow two-up games to legally occur on Anzac Day with appropriate regulations in place to uphold the Anzac spirit.

"Two-up with your mates on Anzac Day has been part of a long standing tradition in Queensland and Australia for many years but has technically been illegal in our state," Mr Lucas said.

"What this Bill will do is allow the RSL and RSL sub branches to legally organise two-up games for the benefit of its members."

Mr Lucas said the Bill would not allow a free-for-all in all licensed venues.

"The tradition of two-up conceived in the gold fields and forged during wartime is still an essential part of Anzac Day in many parts of Queensland," he said.

"P olice are fully aware of this tradition and have used appropriate discretion.

"What this Bill does is make sure that it's official.

"We made a commitment to look at this carefully and we have come up with a considered Bill.

"To ensure the strength and ongoing work of RSLs and their sub branches continue, if a fee to play the game is charged it must be returned to the RSL to support ex-servicemen and women."

Mr Lucas said a Private Members Bill proposed by the LNP would allow two-up in all licensed venues including those with no connection to the RSL and potentially allow businesses to conduct the game as a profit making activity and allow minors to gamble.

"It's important that Anzac Day remains fairly and squarely about the diggers, not just an excuse for a public holiday," he said.

"Even though we cannot find evidence of a prosecution for playing two-up on Anzac Day, our proposed legislation represents a sensible way of dealin g with the issue compared to what the opposition are proposing in a ham-fisted and rushed matter through amendments to the Criminal Code.

"The Opposition's proposed legislation would mean that minors could play, the RSL would have no control over who played the game and other licensed venues unrelated to veterans could pocket the money without giving any regard to veterans or fundraising for them.

"Clearly, there needs to be sensible regulations in place and that's what our proposals achieve.

"What our Bill does is make sure that any games of two-up played on Anzac Day have direct benefit for the people who matter most on Anzac Day- the diggers."

The RSL was established for the principal purpose of promoting the interests and welfare of former and serving members of the Australian Defence Force and their dependants.

The RSL exists to assist and cares for the sick, elderly and needy whilst preserving the memory and records of those who served, suffered and died for our country.
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Premier and Minister for Reconstruction
The Honourable Anna Bligh
30/10/2011

Statement from Premier Anna Bligh

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh today extended her deepest sympathies to the families and friends of three soldiers killed in Afghanistan yesterday.

"The deaths of these brave young men is a terrible tragedy and words cannot begin to describe the pain their families must be going through right now," the Premier said.

"I know that they are in the thoughts of all Queenslanders today during this time of immeasurable sorrow.

"These young men were from Queensland and I know their deaths will be profoundly felt across the State.

"Particularly by their fellow service men and women.

"We also keep in our prayers and our thoughts those young soldiers who were wounded, who are currently being treated, and we hope that we see them return home safely."

==============

Sincere condolences.  RIP.

Brisbanetimes --> Digger slayings a bitter day for Australia: PM
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Stillwater


ozbob


http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/C02491

Victorian infantry embarking on HMAT Hororata (A20), at the Port Melbourne pier. At left is HMAT Orvieto (A3), the flagship of the convoy. Note the train on the rail tracks beside the troops marching along the pier.

October 1914.  

Photograph Australian War Memorial
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http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/remembrance/

Remembrance Day, 11 November 2011

Remembrance Day (11 November) marks the anniversary of the armistice which ended the First World War (1914–18). Each year Australians observe one minute silence at 11 am on 11 November, in memory of those who died or suffered in all wars and armed conflicts.

Red poppies

The Flanders poppy has long been a part of Remembrance Day, the ritual that marks the Armistice of 11 November 1918, and is also increasingly being used as part of ANZAC Day observances. During the First World War, red poppies were among the first plants to spring up in the devastated battlefields of northern France and Belgium. In soldiers' folklore, the vivid red of the poppy came from the blood of their comrades soaking the ground. The sight of poppies on the battlefield at Ypres in 1915 moved Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae to write the poem In Flanders fields. In English literature of the nineteenth century, poppies had symbolised sleep or a state of oblivion; in the literature of the First World War a new, more powerful symbolism was attached to the poppy – the sacrifice of shed blood.


http://www.awm.gov.au/images/commemoration/roh_poppies.jpg

The Roll of Honour dotted with red poppies.

In Flanders fields

    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 guns below.

    We are the Dead. Short days ago
    We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
    Loved and were loved, and now we lie
    In Flanders fields.

    Take up our quarrel with the foe:
    To you from failing hands we throw
    The torch; be yours to hold it high.
    If ye break faith with us who die
    We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
    In Flanders fields.

    John McCrae (1872–1918)


Lest we forget ...


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#24

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http://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?docId=slq_digitool102308



Trainee soldiers at Roma Street Station, Brisbane, waiting to embark on a train to Caloundra Camp during World War II, 1940
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http://cas.awm.gov.au/screen_img/018867

Balikpapan, Borneo. 26 July 1945. A soldier carrying his dixie stands beside the train which was in use at the Balikpapan Oil Refinery and named by 7th Division troops, "The Spirit of Progress". Balikpapan was the main source of aviation gasoline and fuel for the Japanese, and produced more than six million barrels of oil a year before the war.
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"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."


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Premier
The Honourable Campbell Newman
25/04/2012

Premier pays tribute on ANZAC Day

Premier Campbell Newman will today pay tribute to both current serving and former members of the Defence Force.

Mr Newman said ANZAC Day was one of the most significant days on the calendar and he encouraged all Queenslanders to attend services around the state today.

"It's a time when we all reflect on the ultimate sacrifice paid by so many which has ultimately shaped this great nation," Mr Newman said.

"It's important we continue to keep this day front of mind and remember the ANZAC spirit.

"Anzac Day is a day for all Australians to recognise the sacrifice of our forefathers and we need to do everything possible to continue that legacy through the coming generations."

The Premier also recognised currently serving members of the defence force.

"As we pause today we should also reflect on the fact that there are other Australians all over the world defending what we believe in, and helping other people find a better, safer life for the future," he said.

Mr Newman's father Kevin served as a Lieutenant Colonel during the Vietnam War. Mr Newman served in the Australian Army for 13 years as an Australian Amy Engineer, retiring in 1993 with a rank of Major.

Mr Newman will attend the dawn service at the Royal Australian Engineers' dawn service ceremony at the Gallipoli Barracks, the march and ceremony at the Gaythorne RSL at 6.15am, the ceremony at the Ashgrove War Memorial at 8am the parade at King George Square which starts at 9.30am.

Service location and times can be found on the RSL website www.rslqld.org
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Premier
The Honourable Campbell Newman
09/05/2012

Premier honours national servicemen

Premier Campbell Newman has paid tribute to Australia's national servicemen at the launch of the 2012 Nashos' 25th National Reunion on the Gold Coast.

Mr Newman said the Nashos are an important piece of Australia's rich military history.

"National Service was an integral part of this country's war effort over more than 20 years, between 1951 and 1972," Mr Newman said.

"Almost 300,000 young men were called into duty at a time when this country was most in need.

"Hundreds paid the ultimate sacrifice, losing their lives in battle. No one can ever thank them and their families enough for what they did."

There were two periods of compulsory military training in Australia; from 1951 to 1960 and 1964 to 1972.

In the first scheme all males aged 18 were called up for training in the Navy, Army and Air Force. Circumstances meant the basic role of National Servicemen during this time was as reservists. 227,000 men were registered.

Men aged 20 were selected in a birthday ballot for the second scheme. These men served in the Army only. 63,735 were called up for 18 months to two year's full-time service. 212 died while on active duty in Borneo and Vietnam.

Mr Newman said his own family had a strong connection to the Nashos.

"My father, Major Kevin Newman, commanded national service soldiers with 2RAR, at Vietnam in 1967 and no one could question their bravery and commitment," he said.

"Their numbers swelled the ranks of the military, providing strength and confidence in the ability of the armed forces to achieve an outcome. Their support alone was a major boost and their courage in war exemplified everything one would expect of soldiers fighting to defend Australia.

"Reunions such as this are valuable in extending the camaraderie among those who served and in particular teaching the younger generation about this important piece of Australian history.

"As we recently saw with ANZAC Day, more and more youth are developing a connection with former and current diggers. It's important that we foster that relationship and ensure their deeds are always remembered."

[ENDS] 9 May 2012
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Joint Statement:

Premier
The Honourable Campbell Newman

Minister for Education, Training and Employment
The Honourable John-Paul Langbroek
11/07/2012

Premier's Anzac Prize entries open

Premier Campbell Newman and Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek have announced that the Premier's Anzac Prize competition for Queensland high school students is now open.

Mr Newman said the Government would spend $1 million during the next three years to send 50 students to Anzac Cove in Gallipoli and the Western Front.

"We believe it is vital that our students, the first generation of school children to grow up without a surviving Anzac, keep the Anzac spirit and traditions alive," Mr Newman said.

"We want as many students as possible to enter this competition so they can learn from the examples set by our veterans all those years ago.

"This is about providing opportunities for Queensland students to have the best education experience possible."

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said high school students from around the state were invited to develop a multimedia presentation addressing three key themes.

"The themes are: how the Anzac tradition has shaped our nation; why this tradition is still important; and how generations will continue to keep the tradition alive," Mr Langbroek said.

"In 2013 and again in 2014, a group of five young adults will be selected to attend Anzac ceremonies at Gallipoli and across the Western Front.

"This program will culminate in a major delegation of 40 Queensland high school students attending the centenary commemoration at Anzac Cove in 2015."

Applications are now open and will close at the end of Term 3 (21 September). Winners will be announced before the end of the school year (14 December).

For more information on how to enter The Premier's Anzac Prize please visit the Department of Education, Training and Employment website at www.education.qld.gov.au/students/grants/scholarships or phone 07 3235 4942.

[ENDS] 11 July, 2012
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But the literary awards were too expensive.

Sigh...
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Remembrance Day

Sunday 11 November 2012

Remembrance Day (11 November) marks the anniversary of the armistice which ended the First World War (1914–18). Each year Australians observe one minute silence at 11 am on 11 November, in memory of those who died or suffered in all wars and armed conflicts.


Portrait of the 5th Railway Unit. c. May 1917
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http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/27606481?

WITH THE RAILWAY CORPS. OF THE WESTERN FRONT. INTERVIEW WITH LIEUTENANT R. J. BURCHELL.

2 June 1919
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Smith and Mackie families farewell two men leaving for the front during the First World War, Chinchilla, 1914


http://hdl.handle.net/10462/deriv/209240

Summary/Contents: 'This was taken in 1914 at the Chinchilla Railway station the day my oldest brother, N.A. Smith and our cousin V. Y. Mackie left for the front.
Pictured R to L. : Marion E. Smith, Mrs. Dick Mackie, Bob Mackie (Vio's father), Vio Y. Mackie, Norm A. Smith, Mr. Smith (father). Mrs. Smith (mother), Dick Mackie.
Date: 1914
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Minister for A&TSI and Multicultural Affairs and Minister Assisting the Premier
The Honourable Glen Elmes

Queensland prepares for ANZAC centenary

The contribution made by Queenslanders to the First World War between 1914 and 1918 will be recognised with a significant program of commemorative centenary events and functions starting next year.

Minister Assisting the Premier for Veterans Affairs Glen Elmes today officially launched a Queensland committee, which will oversee commemorative activities, at its first meeting held at Brisbane's Victoria Barracks.

"I'm looking to this group for advice and leadership on commemoration activities to ensure that the contribution made by Queenslanders in all theatres of war is recognised with appropriate dignity and honour," Mr Elmes said.

"The membership represents a broad range and depth of experience, knowledge and community connections, which will ensure the centenary of the contribution Queenslanders made to the Great War is commemorated in a significant and appropriate way.

"War has played a fundamental role in the shaping of Australia, and our military history provides a valuable insight into our development as a nation.

"The ANZAC spirit is held as a cultural benchmark for values held dear by Australians such as mateship, courage, bravery, loyalty and sacrifice.

"There will be funding available to support commemorative activities suggested by the committee, as well as other events organised by individual communities and organisations around the state.

"I'm sure there will be strong interest from Queensland communities in how we can help them commemorate military events which have touched all corners of the state."

Mr Elmes said while the focus of the committee was to oversee the commemoration of World War One centenary activities across Queensland, there would be a range of anniversaries from other conflicts falling within that timeframe.

"During the four years, there will also be important 75th anniversaries for World War Two campaigns, as well as the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan during the Vietnam conflict," he said.

"War is a violent and dreadful thing, but it's important to recognise those individuals who have given so much in all wars during the past 100 years."

The committee will work closely with the Commonwealth ANZAC Committee to give centenary commemorations across the state the recognition they deserve.

[ENDS] 21 January 2013
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