Lest we forget.

Hi Pebble

What a nice thought. Thank you for remembering, especially in these troubled times.

They shall grow not old
As we who are left grow old
Age shall not weary them
Nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun
And in the morning
We Will Remember Them

Pauline, I really enjoyed that poem, it really portrays 'mateship' amongst Australians.
I guess some people in the world will keep chasing material wealth, etc. but the true avenue for happiness is to be content with what you have, your family and your "mates".
Regards Lee.

Pauline, I heard that poem for the first time on Friday- on TV at the closing end of the ANZAC day ceremony in Melbourne, and it nearly had me in tears. I have never heard it before. Was it written in WW1 or 2? From the verses themselves, I would guess post-WW2.
Saw an advert for a (soon to be) up-coming program on the ABC, I think, about how poetry played a big part in lifting spirits in prison camps in WW2. May have been Changi, or somewhere. Sounds like this poem may be linked to that. Any ideas? Must watch that particular program over the next few days.
Cheers,
Linda

Hi Pauline.
This is my THIRD time at posting a response. I'm sick of the "formalities" even in their most basic form.Just blame the setups on my new laptop. To it, "go back" means delete EVERYTHING in all forums completely.
Edit doesn't exist and P'd off is what I am!Consider this as a really big HI and I really hope this gets through!
I loved your "poem". I know the
ABC have a special coming up related to such a topical issue. Hope your poem relates to the "special" and we can all find out more about it. If I write any more, I know this laptop(until it is fixed) will delete me completely.
Cheers, Linda

Said I wasn't kidding.
Poltergeists have taken over.Things are repeating over and over and I'm not doing it.I just want to correspond normally.It keeps shutting off all my postings and its SO annoying!!! HELLP!
Linda

Just back from Turkey, with Insight not Trafalgar.

The highlight for many of us consisted of standing in freezing cold from 01:30 to 07:30 for the Dawn Parade on ANZAC day. It is very difficult to explain ANZAC day to someone who isn’t a Kiwi or an Australian. However, we were indebted to our American and Canadian, fellow travellers who agreed to a change of programme that involved a wake up call at 04:30! Without that we would not have been able to visit the various battlefields/cemeteries and memorials.

Dawn Parade at ANZAC Cove is an experience not to be missed; but like the Hajj, it probably should only be done once!

You're right, Tangata; I think that it is something which is only really understood by Australians and New Zealanders.

Even though far more British soldiers died at Galipoli than Australians and New Zealanders, here in the UK, WWI is remembered by most people as a purely European war, and Galipoli has been almost completely forgotten.

Regards,

Chris

And you are right about Galipoli Chris. My grandmas uncle died at Galipoli July 12,1915 at the Battle of Achi Baba. He was from Scotland. He is remembered on the National War Memorial in Edinburgh and on the Helles monument in Turkey. I just found out about the monument in Turkey a few weeks ago.

The poem you are quoting here was writtin in 1914 and the verse quoted above is usually referred to as 'The Ode'.

It is always said at Anzac ceremonies.

The students at my school all recite it every Anzac Day.

I am surprised to hear someone say that they have never heard it before as it has been associated with Anzac and Remembrance Day ceremonies for nearly a century. I was personally made to learn the entire poem at school in the 1960s and have taught it to primary students in my past life as a Primary School teacher (before changing to High School teaching in 1991).

A bit of info about the author and the rest of the poem can be found at the following site:

http://www.firstworldwar.com/poetsandprose/binyon.htm

This site has heaps of great info about the entire War and is one I use on a regular basis with my Year 12 students in preparation for their HSC exams where the war on the Western Front is the Core Topic.

quote:

Originally posted by trueblue:
And you are right about Galipoli Chris. My grandmas uncle died at Galipoli July 12,1915 at the Battle of Achi Baba. He was from Scotland. He is remembered on the National War Memorial in Edinburgh and on the Helles monument in Turkey. I just found out about the monument in Turkey a few weeks ago.

In Australia and New Zealand it's celebrated, as I understand it, as a sort of "coming of age as a nation" holiday. In the UK it has no such connotations. Dreadful though it is to say it about somewhere where so many people died, in the overall history of WWI Galipoli had little impact and was on the periphery of the main events in France and Belgium, and was, moreover, an Allied defeat, hence no reason for anyone except military historians to be aware of it.

As I understand it, the primary reason it's remembered in Australia and New Zealand is not that it was a particularly significant battle (it wasn't, as I say), but because it was the first occasion on which troops from those countries fought as independent nations rather than as a part of the British army.

It was their 'Baptism of Fire'.

You know, while I'm very aware and very appreciative of the sacrifices made by all our veterans, I'm a bit more ambivalent about the notion of a nation "coming of age" by virtue of war, violence, and loss of life.

Canada is said to have "come of age" as a nation with the Battle of Vimy Ridge just recently commemorated in France with the Queen in attendance. There must be another way in which we could count ourselves "coming of age" than sending young men to die on a battle field, surely. If not, I continue to despair for the human race.

Not about travel per se, so I apologize but note there were many. mnay tours arranged for Canadians to go and take part in this recent event in France and thousands did.

"The poem you are quoting here was writtin in 1914 and the verse quoted above is usually referred to as 'The Ode'.

It is always said at Anzac ceremonies.

The students at my school all recite it every Anzac Day."

ChrisMorrow...
Q: Do you show a few real photos of the place, in addition to having your students recite the poem?