Anzac day 2012

[Bob McNeill]

Slightly ahead of time but its the only time they can get the band, so the little town of Neville holds it march the sunday before the official date. Most of the village turns out and they have a long history of serving personel. Great service with the Pipe band, RSL, Air Training Corp and Army Reserve sending units. This year we had 3 vehicles attend, F60L, C15, Jeep. Light drizzle but in couldn,t rain on our parade, sausage sizzle afterwards.

[Bob McNeill]

The local Bush fire unit had to show of their new tanker. For rail buffs there is the local accomodation. Great place for Rally.

[Private_collector]

Good show Bob!

Thats a wonderful vehicle turnout for a small community population.

[Bob McNeill]

The small villages always put in a good effort. As vehicle owners we were told years ago that we broke up the march in Orange too much as we were large and left gaps in front, so we took our bats and balls and followed the Pipe Band in attending the smaller towns, on Anzac Day we start of at Millthorpe at 7.45am, then onto Carcour 9.00 then it,s hurry up and wait at Mandurama 10.00 and finally Lyndhurst 11.00 [ meet outside the pub ] for the final service and a fabulous morning tea.

[Private_collector]

Well folks, there is only two days to go until ANZAC Day. A day I both look forward to and dread, in equal parts.

It seems to roll around so fast, and each time there are less of the Vets I knew and called my friends. There are more of them gone now than the guys remaining. I intend to have an Honour Board with all their names on, for displaying with the CMP when it is finished. It breakes my heart to say that will need to be a very big board or extremely small writing. Possibly both.

My son and I walk in the parade each year, in memory of my Father. This year I will be remembering a WWI great uncle that I only found out about on ANZAC Day last year. How's that for great timing. James Frederick Dodgson enlisted in 1916 and was sent to France. He was in the 3rd Pioneer Battalion and had been a bit of a naughty boy on the way over there, being fined a days pay for brief AWOL while in Cape Town, S.A.

Two sleeps fellas, two sleeps

[Private_collector]

Just a few hours to go now.

Shoes shined. Medals polished & re-polished again. Clothes pressed and laid out in readyness. Slouch hat brushed off and adjusted.

To sleep now, and up again at 0330hrs, to get dressed and drive the 40 min to town for the dawn service. Then home afterwards for a couple of hours rest until returning to town for the ANZAC Parade at 1000hrs.

Lest We Forget

Bless 'em all!

[Luke R]

Thank you,
To all current and ex Australian and New Zealand service men and women.
For all your hardwork and sacrifices in fighting for our freedom and the freedom of others.

Lest we forget.

[aj.lec]

Lest We Forget

[Ken Hughes]

Hi Tony,at our local working mens club the ANZAC parade etc is now run by Vietnam Vets,all ww2 vets have passed on,(in our area) it is a great day for remembering those that made the ultimate sacrifice and those that are no longer with us.Every year it gets closser to our turn to run things

[Little Jo]

Hi Guys

Anzac Day is a big day for me as always and after the march catching up with old Army mates I served with. This year I drove my Jeep in the March and carried three WW2 Vets who could no longer march they were aged between 89 and 92 years and were old Desert Rats of Tobruk. Great guys and still had a good sense of humour.

LEST WE FORGET

Cheers

Tony

[Bob McNeill]

The day started very cold with drizzle for the Dawn Service at 5.30, by 6.30 as we loaded up for the run out to Millthorpe a pea souper had come in, stuggled to see 50mts in front. Millthorpe residents turned out in force and the fog and rain cleared by 8.30, climbed back into fog as we passed thru Blayney , so I turned on rotating beacon and became tailend charlie and Band members said it was visible a long time before the back of the truck. Carcour was dry and no fog, only 4 vets of all conflicts in attendance the service was over by 9.30. onto Mandurama and once again only a couple of vets and quite a few names read out as having died since last year. At Lyndhurst a good crowd gathered at the pub for the wander down to the hall [ there,s no way it was a march ] a short service outside then inside for the formal ceremonies and finally a cup of tea and sandwiches. All 3 vehicles ran well and lots of photos taken of kids sitting or standing with the trucks. I doubt the temp got above 5 decs all day.

[Private_collector]

Ken,

That is just such a tragedy. We all know this is inevitable, but with some of the scum crowding the world now, it's so unfair we are losing these grand fellows instead.

Each year I see less of my dear old favorites on ANZAC Day. Then some time in the future I may see a plaque dedicated to their memory in our ANZAC Memorial Lane. That's very hard to come to terms with. The only redeeming feature is that majority of the WW2 guys are now tired to the extent that they are feeling 'ready to go'.

I did have one pleasent surprise today, and I will be writing a post about that particular Gentleman in next few minutes.

[Private_collector]

As always, this years ANZAC Day Dawn Service was a fitting tribute to all who have served (or are serving) in Australian and New Zealand defence forces. Weather was fine but cloudy, with only a very slight hint of the approaching winter chill. The crowd was considerably larger today than it has been in many years past.

The Dawn Service is conducted from the vicinity of our ANZAC Flame. This photo was taken later in the day, from the direction of the park where the crowd was assembled. The ANZAC Flame sits at one end of our Memorial Lane.

At the other end of Memorial Lane, these gates virtually disappear beneath the wreaths and other tributes that adorn it on ANZAC Day & Remembrence Day.

Every year there are minor problems with noise from a large group of Corellas (chirpy birds) that rest in the trees of the park. This year was no exception, but it is actually kind of fitting, as the Corella is quite iconic. This year a Kookaburra called out once, at a perfect moment in the procedings to remind all assembled that this is Australia!


This wreath says it all.
The crowds today show they will NEVER be forgotten.

Parade photos to follow.

[Private_collector]

These are some of the vehicles that participated in our ANZAC Parade this year. Each one carried the ex-service personnel that were unable to march.

Part 2 follows.

[cliff]

Tony perhaps it would be nice to post photos showing the unique murals along Memorial Lane as I don't think there is anything quite like it in the world

Once again I had all the great intentions of going down to the dawn and 10am service and once again failed to make it but I did spend some time up in my garden remembering the mates I served with in the Territorial (Part time) 1Med Battalion at Papakura Army camp (now closed) in New Zealand back in the late 80's and remember especially the older full time soldiers that were the core of the unit and the service they had seen. I did not complete my basic training due to injury but I never forget those who still serve keeping us as safe as they can.

[Private_collector]

More photos.

This last photo was taken as an 'after thought' while I was walking back to the car. The photo was taken around 30 min after the parade had finished, and shows the amount of people that stayed around to mingle with the Diggers, look at the vehicles, or just take in the magic of the day. Only about 1/4 of the crowd had left at this stage.

One more post to come, and I have saved the best for last!

Consider it my 'Last Post'..........sorry

[Private_collector]

Folks, it is both a privelidge and a very great pleasure to present Mr Stanley (Stan) Fox.

Stan is now approaching 90 years old but still has the cheeky spirit, and dogged determination that quite possibly helped to keep him alive as he waded ashore at Normandy on 6th June, 1944. Yep, Stan was a Royal Marine, and was one fo the first British troops to land on D-Day!

I have known Stan for a number of years now, and had almost given up on ever seeing him on ANZAC Day. Imagine my surprise when I was told (by his Daughter) that he was actually participating in the Parade, being driven in one of the vehicles.

I have a book, "D-Day: Dawn of Heroes" which Stan has autographed for me, complete with service number. He's such a great old bloke, our Stan, and still has very vivid memories of D-Day. He once described the unloading of his landing craft, where some of the men were so keen to get at the germans that they wanted to be first off the barge. Stan recalls that when the door was lowered, those men were cut down by german machine-gun fire. The guns had been trained on the door, waiting for it to lower. Most of the first men off were killed or wounded. Stan went over the side of the landing craft and swam away from the LC as fast as he could. He is a very lucky man to have survived the swim ashore, and doesn't mind saying he very nearly drowned in the scramble.

Many of the things Stan told me, I since found to be reflected in the movie "Saving Private Ryan", which I had not seen at that time. The movie was slightly less graphic than Stans recalling of the day.

Here's to you, Stanley Fox! And all your comrades

[Private_collector]

G'Day Cliff,

That's a great idea. I have posted two or three photos of the murals in past, but I think the murals were partially obstructed by the Light Horse members, that I think were the subject. Anyhow..........I know those murals deserve better photos, and they are definately worth showing here. This weekend I will take camera and get a shot of each mural, the 'Wall of Rememberence", and any other features that are photogenic enough.

You must be correct in that these murals are UNIQUE in the world. All done by a former local, who is the daughter of the late Brigadier Keith P. Outridge, A.M. He was another dear old sole. Cliff, remind me to tell you a story about Brigadier Outridge, me, and a No. 5 Lee Enfield (Jungle Carbine).

So stay tuned for some photos of a fantastic tribute this Saturday evening.