Lest We Forget

Today is Anzac Day, the day Australians and New Zealanders stop to remember all those who have served in wars, and those that lost their lives.

The honoured graves beneath the crest
Of Gabe Tepe hill,
May hold our bravest and our best,
But we have brave men still.

Banjo Paterson, "We're All Australians Now" (Gaba Tepe was a Turkish position during the Gallipoli campaign).

And the English flag may flutter and wave
Where the World-wide Oceans toss,
But the flag the Australian dies to save
Is the flag of the Southern Cross.

Banjo Paterson, "Our Own Flag".

Last August, my sister and I spent a day visiting WWI memorials in the Somme, in France. It was amazing to see places such as Le Halme, Poiziers and Vimy Ridge, that I'd read so much about. It was a very moving day, and I'm glad we went there. I took this photograph in the Commonwealth cemetery at Poiziers. The inscription reads, if it isn't clear from the scan, "Two Australian Soldiers of the Great War...Known Unto God". So many of the graves were marked like this - the names, even the origins, of the men were lost. And of those that did have details, many or most of them would have been younger than I am now.



They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncountered:
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 contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Laurence Binyon, "For the Fallen".

GIP

Look at my lovely new icon that sinbrat made :)

Feeling good, as I cleaned and tidied my bedroom today. However, have still to tackle the Wardrobe of Doom tomorrow. Am making progress on extensive To Do list, yay!

And less than two weeks to con, baby!