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Octane
24th Apr 2015, 21:13
Lest we forget.....

Stanwell
24th Apr 2015, 21:30
...Lest we forget.

Tankertrashnav
24th Apr 2015, 21:49
Lots of coverage on the BBC news today with Prince Charles and Prince Harry at the ceremony at Gallipoli, and HMS Bulwark in attendance offshore. Pleased to see the Turkish dead remembered as well - they fought like demons. Also pleased to see the Irish president in attendance - two of the British regiments which were very hard hit in the landings were the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and the Royal Munster Fusiliers. And of course it need hardly be said that the Australian and New Zealand forces were very well represented.

TBM-Legend
25th Apr 2015, 00:36
A nice pair of Super Hornets over Brisbane 35 minutes ago just back from the sand-pit.

Huge crowds and great wx here too..

camelspyyder
25th Apr 2015, 02:46
The RAF contingent around here will be joining some Oz mates in the South Western US to mark the occasion at 6AM tomorrow.

And the "Gunfire Breakfast" to follow.

BBadanov
25th Apr 2015, 03:55
The Dawn Service here in QLD started at 0500.


Being the Centenary, there were naturally so many people at our village cenotaph that I could not see the proceedings, but as usual a fantastic service. Aided by the local Air Force Cadets catafalque party, and the Salvation Army band to lead the NZ and Australian national anthems.


Then the sun came up and we went to breakfast.

John Eacott
25th Apr 2015, 04:41
Dawn Services have become better attended over the past few years; Macedon Cross was the service I always attended for 25+ years but it has become a victim of its own success, with so many there now that no vehicles are allowed and attendees must go by bus.

Our small town decided a couple of weeks ago to have its own Dawn Service. More than 800 turned up to a well organised and moving service courtesy of our local CFA :D

Did anyone else notice the historic bugle (http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/last-post-first-light/67974954/anzac-day-special-bugle-to-ring-out-gallipoli-commemorations) played by the New Zealander at Gallipoli today? Landed at the beach in 1915, there's a bit of history :ok:

fergineer
25th Apr 2015, 04:47
They were out in their thousands here in Tauranga, our aviation museum is now set up as a memorial for the next month.

kaikohe76
25th Apr 2015, 05:30
Here at Kerikeri in the lovely Bay of Islands (NZ) we had a superb turn out for the Dawn Service at 0545 this morning, from both those taking part & so very many local people supporting us as well. Proud to be in the parade again, eventhough my marching, likely needs a quick refresher from my old RAF Drill Sergeant. Lest We Forget

Genstabler
25th Apr 2015, 08:16
“Heroes who shed their blood and lost their lives! You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours. You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.”

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey, who fought at Gallipoli.

Bro
25th Apr 2015, 10:39
Here, in the tiny village of Baverstock, in Wiltshire we shall be holding our annual ANZAC Commemorative Service tomorrow. We have the graves of 11 Australian soldiesr who died in the First World War.

Nugget90
25th Apr 2015, 20:58
I'm writing this from Sydney where yesterday, ANZAC Day, I attended the Dawn Service at Martin Place and later joined my former colleagues of No 36 Squadron RAAF in the March past the Cenotaph.

I had been here 50 years ago as an RAF Exchange pilot flying C130A model Hercules, but flew to Australia last week specially to take part in these commemorations.

Public support for the military on this Day is awesome. Over 30,000 attended the Dawn Service. The number lining the route along the March has yet to be published but is said to be another record. Our contingent didn't get orders to move off for about three hours after the March started, but the crowds were still there and applauded every unit with tremendous enthusiasm.

I felt very proud to be there. And I echo, "Lest we forget".

etimegev
25th Apr 2015, 21:12
Put a wreath onto the War Memorial in Grantham this morning. I was the only one there. A couple of passers by obviously wondered what was happening. And this despite the fact that there is a large Army Reserve base at the old RAF Spitalgate just out of town. Quite surprising in view that it was commemorated in London.

BBadanov
25th Apr 2015, 21:31
And this despite the fact that there is a large Army Reserve base at the old RAF Spitalgate just out of town.


etimegev,
You raise an interesting point, as there is an ANZAC link to that area.


The second Australian Flying Corps squadron - known in 1916 as 68 SQN RFC, before becoming 2 SQN AFC - arrived at Grantham from Egypt on 30 January 1917. 68 SQN was based at the RFC aerodrome at Harlaxton, 3km SW of Grantham, near Harlaxton Manor. The unit shared the aerodrome with 44 (Reserve) SQN, as part of the 24th Training Wing, headquartered at nearby Spittlegate (the spelling in the records).


[PRO AIR1/2086/207/6/1 AO/187, of 13 Sep 16, and AO/280 of 29 Sep 16 refer: 24th Wing was formed on 25 Sep 16 consisting of HQ and 49 (Reserve) SQN at Spittlegate, 65 SQN at Wyton, and 44 (R) SQN to be joined by 68 SQN at Harlaxton.]


PS I should have added, 68 SQN departed Harlaxton for Baizieux in France in September 1917.

Wensleydale
26th Apr 2015, 06:27
Eighty members of the 467/463 Sqn Association made their annual visit to RAF Waddington....the squadrons flew their Lancasters from RAF Waddington from the end of '43 to '45. The day's highlight was the superb flypast at the end of the service in the Memorial garden by the BBMF Lancaster with not a dry eye around.

wakefield
26th Apr 2015, 07:43
Pleased to see the HARS DC3 and Caribou flying south in formation over Manly mid morning. Should be more of it!!

Wander00
26th Apr 2015, 08:54
Went to a "red and black" themed Rotary dinner last night, and wore a poppy - seemed appropriate, ANZAC Day, centenary of Gallipoli, oh and it is red and black.

dat581
26th Apr 2015, 09:18
A question for our UK locals: Is Remembrance Day in the UK as big as ANZAC Day is in Oz? Any Brits I have spoken to revere their veterans just as much as Australians and Kiwis do.

Wander00
26th Apr 2015, 10:02
IMHO recent conflicts have brought veterans, and those who have lost their lives more into focus. I also applaud those, especially Royal British Legion, who have helped bring back the "11th hour of the 11the day of the 11th month" two minutes' silence. The "poppies on the moat of the Tower of London" also played a big part.

Tocsin
26th Apr 2015, 10:13
There are some commemorations taking place today (Sunday 26 Apr) - possibly because it is a 'quieter' day - I don't know?

I'm about to get ready to attend Chevington cemetery in Northumberland this afternoon...

huge72
26th Apr 2015, 19:25
I have just returned from taking a party of our Air Training Corps Cadets to the village of Leighterton in Gloucestershire. There are several Australian and New Zealand WW1 Aircrew buried there as they carried out there training on the nearby airfield. We take part in the parade every year and this year was as expected the largest yet. With military reps from both High Commissions, 20 plus British Legion Standards including both Men's and Women's National Standards, RBL Bikers,40 plus Veterans, 3 Squadrons of Cadets, Air Scouts and Village School Children the turn out was superb. This small village puts on a special effort to honour those brave men who are so far from home. We will remember them.

OffshoreSLF
26th Apr 2015, 20:13
When I worked in Perth for a spell, I attended 2 ANZAC day parades in Kings Park. Although I had attended many remembrance day parades here in Scotland, I found the Australian ones very moving indeed. Perhaps it was the early morning, the fact I was in a different country, or what I don't know, but it is one of my very treasured memories from my short time in Australia.




Lest we forget.

Whenurhappy
26th Apr 2015, 20:14
Good to see the RAF was actively supporting the commemorations in Gallipoli - a C-17 was used to convey the marching troops and 32 Sqn moved the VIPs. There was also a heavily-bemedalled Wg Cdr lurking with Their Royal Highness on HMS Bulwark and also at Helles.

rjtjrt
26th Apr 2015, 22:52
So much quiet respect is shown in UK and Europe and Turkey for the fallen of various nations in both World Wars.
It says a lot about the peoples of all those countries, that they still hold such quiet and meaningful ceremonies.

Buster Hyman
27th Apr 2015, 01:37
Got to the Shrine at 04:15 and the closest I got was the Eternal flame. Took the kids for the first time & was joined by up to 80,000 others.

Just love the fact that they've kept it a simple, elegant service & whilst they acknowledge the dignitaries in attendance, none of those buggers get to speak!

http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2014/04/25/1226896/341406-74046f56-cc15-11e3-807e-a96f396e31f6.jpg

(Image from The Australian)

Whenurhappy
27th Apr 2015, 07:22
So much quiet respect is shown in UK and Europe and Turkey for the fallen of various nations in both World Wars.

Yes, well, sort of. On Thursday night it's reported that the Prince of Wales, the Foreign Secretary, the NZ and Australian Prime Ministers and about 22 other heads of state and government had to sit through a 45 minute rant by the Turkish President at a Peace Symposium, in an auditorium that was full of carefully selected supporters who chanted through his speech and jostled the VIPs, so I was told by one of the aides present. This was followed by 'African Dictator' style motorcades from the Conference centre, shunting bystanders out of the way. Not the way ANZUK does things, I believe.

Oh, and something to remember, perhaps, during the Battle of Britain or Remembrance commemorations:

http://www.brookwoodcemetery.com/plots-sections/military-cemeteries/turkish-air-force-burial-ground/

Skeleton
27th Apr 2015, 08:08
Thank you to the RAAF for the yearly fly-by of my house. This year a Wedgetail held, did 3 low orbits and we then watched the 2 F-18's join him, with what looked like an airborne spare and off they went in the direction of the Canberra War Memorial, was wonderful to see.

Lest we forget.