ANZAC day
 

Lest we forget.....

...Lest we forget.

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.

A nice pair of Super Hornets over Brisbane 35 minutes ago just back from the sand-pit.

Huge crowds and great wx here too..

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.

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.

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 played by the New Zealander at Gallipoli today? Landed at the beach in 1915, there's a bit of history :ok:

They were out in their thousands here in Tauranga, our aviation museum is now set up as a memorial for the next month.

ANZAC Day
 

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

“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.

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.

ANZAC Day in Sydney NSW
 

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".

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.

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.

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.

Pleased to see the HARS DC3 and Caribou flying south in formation over Manly mid morning. Should be more of it!!

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.

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.

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.

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...