I can’t believe I haven’t written for almost a month…. but, I have been busy, putting on 6 kilograms and ensuring that I was well and truely in the 70% increase of alcohol consumption since the COVID19 invasion.
So, ANZAC Day…..
I have a few difficulties with its sudden ‘popularity’ and all the wonderful heartfelt sacrifices made on the day and the wearing of other peoples medals. It’s not the sentiment that troubles me, its the short lived nature of it.
I wrote a poem about this a few years ago and usually publish it on ANZAC Day; but, seeing I sent it to the ADF and they ignored me, I’ll just leave a link for you to ignore as well. (To read a really good ANZAC Poem, click here!)
So, ANZAC Day…..
Often referred to by our politicians and The Merchants of Misery (The Media) of late, in a sentence including the term Un-Australian….. also, a lot of the merchants quoting a ‘millyun’ when quoting financial figures around the million mark, which is much less than a ‘billyun’.
I attend the dawn service; usually. Being in the country is better. But, this year it will just be the Politicians who send our ADF to war and sit at home being very Australian. They will be representing us as they do not on the battle field. I will walk to the end of my driveway at 5.30 am on ANZAC Day and remember the fallen and the ultimate sacrifice they made in all the wars, ‘police actions’, peace keeping roles and all the other names we hide behind when describing war and death.
It would be really nice NOT to see a lot of people doing this – I don’t want to see them on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat…. but, as I will do, I will just be doing it for myself, because it is important to me; unrecorded, just lived.
I will remember the two photographs of my Nana’s brothers, both of whom died in WW1; and who we never really spoke about. I remember when I was young, not really understanding; even if I did wear their medals one day while playing; children don’t understand war; young men mostly, and young women, dont really understand them either, they just die in them.
So, ANZAC Day…..
I will really be thinking of the approximately 6000 veterans who are homeless, today.
I will really be thinking of the almost 500 veterans who have suicided in the last 20 years; and their families who have been left behind.
I will think of these lost souls, destroyed and killed by war; of families still grieving the loss of the men and women who they knew, for the ones who returned home.
I will think what can I do?
A wise young man told me the other day, “compassion is empathy and action.”
To me it is not, just getting up early one day a year. Compassion, is perhaps, acknowledging if you have never served, that you can never know what it was like; compassion is asking our Politicians why our heroes are lost in the world they fought for, and live in today.
Lest we forget; those still with us; every day.
Nice piece. It is a shame that the day gets shanghai’d by politicians who want to make much of their Australianess. I didn’t start going to the Dawn Service until the men who were of my Father’s vintage (who put his age up from 17 to 18 to join in 1942 and spent most of the war in Cyprus) started to part this physical world. One had been my mate’s Dad who was in Changi as was the Dad of my girlfriend’s friend in the 70’s; my girlfriend’s Dad had also put his age up to join the Navy and when we went fishing he would tell me of his war – retrieving the bodies of soldiers from the sea during various Pacific landings; and my longstanding childhood mate whose Dad who had been a paratrooper based in Darwin. My greater awareness came about when I happened to be in Darwin for the 75th anniversary of the bombing. I was a very late arrival. However, it made me think about my Dad and all these guys, and how selfless they were . I’ve been going since then (and I know that’s not long). I do prefer to commemorate Remembrance Day as that is the day to remember all war dead – including civilians. Most soldiers of all uniforms thought they were in the right – that’s what the pollies trick us into thinking. On 17 October 2018, I carried a wreath up to the Norwood War Memorial to place in memory of my namesake – Andrew Hill, who came from Glamis in Scotland, and had joined at the start of World War One. He fought at Gallipoli, then to Bulgaria via Egypt for most of the war. In July 1918 his regiment, the Black Watch, were brought back to France. He was killed, a month before the end of the war. I’ve visited his grave in France a couple of times. I found it very moving and I commend it to you to go and see the graves of your Great Uncles.
And while we’re talking sombre topics – Vale Jo Shanahan. What an ignominious end for such a lovely woman.
Keep safe
Andy Hill
Thanks Andy for the insightful and heartfelt comment – apologies that I have not replied earlier – life gets in the way (the life we take for granted everyday…?). So sad about Jo, I agree; a good heart gone – but I suspect those that she help and was kind to will always remember the way she made them feel. Stay safe mate.