ANZAC DAY is 25th April - God bless our Servicemen and women.

ANZAC DAY is 25th April - God bless our Servicemen and women.

The Final Inspection

The Soldier stood and faced his God,

Which must always come to pass.

He hoped his shoes were shining,

Just as brightly as his brass.

'Step forward now, you Soldier,

How shall I deal with you?

Have you always turned the other cheek?

To My Church have you been true?'

The Soldier squared his shoulders and said,

'No, my Lord, I ain't.

Because those of us who carry guns,

Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,

And at times my talk was tough.

And sometimes I've been violent,

Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a dollar,

That wasn't mine to keep...

Though I worked a lot of overtime,

When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,

Though at times I shook with fear.

And sometimes, God, forgive me,

I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place,

Among the people here.

They never wanted me around,

Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Lord,

It needn't be so grand.

I never expected or had too much,

But if you don't, I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne,

Where the Saints had often trod.

As the Soldier waited quietly,

For the judgment of his God.

'Step forward now, you Soldier,

You've borne your burdens well.

Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,

You've done your time in Hell.'

~Author Unknown~

Today is the day that I am proudest to be Australian. I really love Anzac Day and all it represents. I love the shiver down the spine at Dawn Service as the Last Post is played and then the minutes silence that can never go too long. Every Aussie should do a dawn service at the War Memorial once in their life. Have a beer for those that aren't here... lest we forget.

Today, for the first time in many years I missed the Dawn Service and, regrettably all services, because our son was involved in a car crash late last night on his way home from work. Fortunately he suffered no more than a bruised arm and loss of sleep.

This was to be a special Service personally because on our overseas trip last year we went to Anzac Cove, walked the beach and the cemeteries and had time to reflect on the events there and all over the world as to the hellish nature and stupidity of war.

I was profoundly moved as my grandfather had fought at Anzac Cove and was then shipped to France where he was struck by shell fragments and gassed when a gas shell exploded near him. He made it home but not until 1919

MY father was a WW2 Digger and, along with two of his brothers, was a Rat of Tobruk. He also saw service in Palestine and finally in New Guinea where he was involved in the defeat of the Japanese at Milne Bay.
Of the eight boys in dad's family 5 enlisted and thankfully all made it home.

I sometimes wonder about WW1. We have been told that it was a fight for freedom but to me it was more a playtable for the folly and hubris of the leaders and generals of the time. This in no way is meant to demean the memory of the the brave souls who fought and the massive sacrifice of lives.

WW2 was a different kettle of fish and I am in agreement with thoughts expressed by BobL in the above "Have Your Say" thread. For me we commemorate Anzac Day and the slaughter of WW1 but we rightly celebrate the victories of WW2.

Next year I may well be in Brazil on Anzac Day where the notion of what we commemorate is unknown. Still, I will take A stone I collected from the beach at Anzac Cove as a tangible reminder of what it all means.

I found out last night that the ABC show "Lost in Flanders" retold the story of my BIL great Uncle and his mates. 5 soldiers who died in Belgium and whose remains were identified by DNA. My BIL relatives travelled to Belgium for a commemorative service.