[GZG] [very OT] ANZAC day

G'day guys,

Hope you don't mind the cross post but I thought this was worth sharing
(originally hummed and hawed but in the end decided yes).

As the number of vets dwindle in Australia school children have been called
upon to carry the unit banners. Lachy was picked for yesterday, which was no
small honour in a state that supplies more per capita to the defence forces
than any other in Australia and has one of the highest VC per capita rates of
anywhere in the commonwealth. He was understandably proud and got to asking
questions, mainly of Derek who doesn't march even though he could (he does his
reflecting more privately). Janny was getting a bit uppity at the fuss and
asked why we do it. Fair question. So I started reflecting on discussions with
my grandfathers (one served in WWI and the other WWII). One of the last
conversations I had with my younger Granddad (who was in Africa and New Guinea
in WWII) was what he thought was good about it. He mentioned mateship and
bonds, but he said for him the best thing was his Dad was finally proud of
him. Well looking at the crowds yesterday there were more proud sons, grand
sons and great grand sons than Dads (understandably, though there were a fair
few Vietnam, peace keeping, Afghanistan and Iraqi vets marching). One thing
that hasn't dimmed though is the mateship and respect that bridge enormous
divides. This was brought home to me when I glimpsed two tiny moments in what
was a long day.

I travel to work ever day by bus, along with a fairly regular bunch of
characters. Amongst these are a senior banker (Will's a portly happy kinda
bloke), a successful business man (Dave's quieter but always VERY well
presented) and a gardner (Tom, who looks a bit scruffy, but has a wicked sense
of humour and is very smart guy). They say the odd hello and have a quiet
laugh, but until yesterday it had never struck me that they shared anything
more than the odd conversation on the bus. Then while I was standing with
Lachy before the march yesterday I happened to see them pass on the street.
Will and Dave in crisp suits with chests of medals and Tom in relaxed clothes,
but with more medals than I think I've ever seen on one man before. The salute
that Will and Dave gave Tom was as sharp as I've seen on any parade ground of
today, age certainly hadn't wearied them. Tom in his usual style smile warmly,
bobbed the head and said "I'm not your CO any more boys". One can only ponder
what they must have seen together and how it shaped their lives.

The other moment clearly shows why there is hope in a world that has gone so
awry that you 9 year old asks how people know there's no suicide bombers in
the ANCAZ day march crowds (!!).

Not only Australians march on ANZAC day, it has become an accepted part
that ex-military from many nations can. We now regularly have Turkish,
Polish and African units marching (and in Sydney they had some of the
fuzzy wuzzy angels yesterday - from New Guinea). In what I hope is a
moment Janny remembers for a long time, we were at the memorial service after
the parade and Janny started tugging my arm hard. I thought she was going to
say she'd seen someone else she knew, which she had but that wasn't why she
was flapping like a chook. There was Joe (a local chap that lives around the
corner from us, he fought in the Polish Army in WWII, he's a fairly serious
old guy, very religios and wears his Jewish cap everywhere he goes) and a
local Turkish resturanter (sadly don't know his name, but I do know he served
with the Turkish army in Korea) hugging and laughing. Despite us telling our
kids repeatedly that Jews and Muslims don't inherently hate each other it was
a revelation to her to see that played out in front of her eyes. I don't know
what their shared history is, their jocularity may well have had nothing to do
with ANZAC day, but it was a great moment, espeically for Janny.

So sorry to ramble on like that, but I thought moments like those go to the
heart of why days like ANZAC day aren't about glorrifying war, conflict or
battle, but are about friendish, hope and a promise of something better.

Cheers

> Beth.Fulton@csiro.au wrote:

> So sorry to ramble on like that, but I thought moments like those go to

Very, very nice piece Beth. I think that's two members of the next generation
we don't have to worry about.

On 4/26/06, gzg-l-request@lists.csua.berkeley.edu
> <gzg-l-request@lists.csua.berkeley.edu> wrote:

> Hope you don't mind the cross post but I thought this was worth

Is it just me, or is it getting just a little bit hard to see in here...

Very touching, Beth! Thank you for posting that.

Beth, thank you for the powerful text and imagery on this!

Kevin

On Apr 25, 2006, at 5:26 PM, <Beth.Fulton@csiro.au>
> <Beth.Fulton@csiro.au> wrote:

> G'day guys,

...

> Beth