Pulla
I visited a family members grave in France, he was shot down in WW2. A sad day to realise the ultimate price paid and the future he (we all) missed, but filled with pride to know the level of devotion to his country (??).
This is the binder........the village in which he was buried (now a big city in provincial France) is a thriving German tourist destination, and no less - "a sister city to Munich!!!!" Go figure!! The beer was terrible the language was bearly understandable and here is this grave on foreign soil - light years from Australia.
Am I a disturbed at this- well at first, to be honest I was very angry and disillusioned at the waste, but not now. It vividly reinforces the absolute futility of War----Yeah, you betchya.
Anzac day, for me, is never a memory of war heroics, who won or lost, but the celebration of the human spirit under diversity. To go out and do what is expected - some of these people had an average survival span of only a few days - to go out to do what "they" believed to be the right thing by their family, mates, crew and country. All under incredible diversity and sacrafice. That goes for all sides.
Through the dice, bring on the cards and drink to their spirit.
Now where is that book on Nicky Barr...........