What does ANZAC Day mean to you?

Broken_Benjamin · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Location: Kew, Vic

Those pictures are truly amazing, And very chilling.
Anzac day is a massive occasion, My first in melb since moving over. My first collingwood v essendon game I have been to since we won in the wet in 2002 I think it was.

Will be attending the dawn service, Then off to the nearest pub for a few quiet drinks, Only the traditional ones of coarse.

Really sets up the day, The match is big but its so much more than that.
Also my first anzac day with my gf, Have been giving her a short history lesson and she is up for dawn service, She has no idea the atmosphere of an anzac day match. I think she will truly be blown away.

Needless to say very exited for this weekend Shocked

P.S: Does anyone know where I can find a list of dawn service locations? And does public transport run at that time of the morning for anzac day?

Cheers,
Rob

John Wren · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 8:05 am

Broken_Benjamin · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Location: Kew, Vic

Cheers JMCP, Much appreciated

PS: ANYWHERE at all I can get a list of dawn services?? I cant find one anywhere. Will be a bit far to travel to from where I I'll be Crying or Very sad

Proud Pies · Joined: 22 Feb 2003 Location: Knox-ish

thank you Didaicos, just thank you

Hiss · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: Geelong

It is the sound of fellow vet Major Noel Watson singing Waltzing Matilda with the sounds of Huey's flying in formation over the MCG. That is what ANZAC means to me. I love my country and my footy with its great traditions and old Aussie values that seem to be rapidly erroding away.

Proud Pies · Joined: 22 Feb 2003 Location: Knox-ish

stui magpie · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 10:09 pm

Lasalle, nice work in bumping this thread. I've just read it through from the start again. Reading peoples shared thoughts, very nice.

I'm so looking forward to Sunday, and love that the way the game is put together gives respect to those who fought for us.

skaman · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:06 am

As an ex soldier...everything.

As in footy....everything.

Didaicos · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:09 am

London Dave · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 4:26 am

watt price tully · Joined: 15 May 2007

Thanks Didaicos. Very chilling & moving even on a computer screen.

RudeBoy · Joined: 28 Nov 2005

It reminds me of the senseless human slaughter that continues to take place around the world in the name of patriotism.

I try to ignore the jingoistic nationalism and militarism which has emerged in recent years.

Someone once wrote something along the lines of "One day someone will call a war an no-one will turn up to fight". We can only hope.

3.14159 · Joined: 12 Sep 2009

When I think of all those tomb-stones I can't help but wonder, "Per Qui et, per Qua!"
That was the Graffetti dawbed on the walls of the steets of Paris in 1939.
The ANZACs were along way from home, (even those in New Guinea) fighting for what? King and Country?
For Korea and Vietnam?
Reading about WW1 what really impresses Me is actions of people like Leutnant General John Monash. Even before World War 1 was over, the de-mobilization and Welfare of the 5 Divisions of Men under his command was fore-most in his mind! He did things like have his men working on French farms to see if they could/would like to become farmers when they returned home. He also got them thinking about what they would do with their lives when the guns stopped firing. Soldier settlements, learning a new trade or a University grants to vetrans were championed by him. Not since Gaius Marius has a General cared mored for this troops than John Monash.
War is Hell but sometimes unavoidable. Men like John Monash did so-much more than just fight. (He did that extremely well btw) When the fighting was grinding to a bloody stalemate He looked for New ways to fight that didn't have the Men under his charge walking into a hail of Machine-gun bullets! Amougst his many innovations was His use of aero-planes to drop supplies to his troops as they advanced and relay information from the front to head-quarters was decades ahead of it's time.
But what I really admire him for is that He went about making the World a better place to live-in. Naming a University in his Honour is hardly tribute enough for this quiet but Great Man!

"From the hundred Year-War, to the Crimea.
With the lance and the musket and the Roman spear.
To ALL of the Men who have stood with No fear.
In the service of the King.
But before You met your fate,
be sure you do not fore-sake,
Your lover, may not be around, any more."
(Strummer, Jones)

mel_kay39 · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 4:52 pm

Can't believe people are questioning whether ANZAC Day is relevant anymore or not. Of course it is. My nanna's brothers all fought in Papua New Guinea and her father in Turkey, and one of them died at Kokoda, and many people still have family members who fought in Vietnam, Korea, Bosnia, Somalia etc. And there are still troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. It's not just a day about the diggers from Gallipoli anymore. It's a day where we all pay respects for every soldier who fought for our country, and are still fighting, whether they've died for the cause or not. How dare they say it's irrelevant.

3.14159 · Joined: 12 Sep 2009