Rememberance Day 2016

Once again the 11th hour of the 11th month has come around I paid my respects to those brave souls that went away and continue to go to foreign shores to free the oppressed whilst forcing back the hand of evil and tyranny allowing my family & I a free life, you have my eternal gratitude.

During the First World War Australia had a population of approximately 5 million souls due to the high attrition rate of this war there were very few families in Australia not touched by the hand of war.
When the qualities of our troops were known by the high command it was pretty much a forgone conclusion they would get the difficult nuts to crack, and they were.
Fromelles will always be our forces darkest day for the sheer numbers lost in a single 24 hour action just like ears of wheat the grazing fire from well sited and em-placed MG's took a terrible toll. "The Devils Paintbrush" did its work very well that day.

"We will remember them"
"Lest we forget"

I always think of my short sighted uncle who died in the Merchant Navy on the way to Murmansk. I can remember him telling me that he knew his chances were slim shortly before he left.

Off to ceremonies shortly myself, my great uncle died at Vimy. 58th Brantford CEF. According to Burton's account in the book, he was killed on the fourth day of a three day battle in a unit that was held in reserve and not committed to battle... He was killed doing trench clearing and not found for a few hours after... He's buried at Chaudierre Cemetery just outside Vimy, a mile from where he was killed. Then there's all the guys I served with and those I knew that went over to this last great unpleasantness...

My twice wounded grandfather, a Sergeant in a Highland regiment, was first wounded at 2nd Ypres and later, near war's end, lost his left leg to a hand grenade blast. My wife's great-uncle, 58th Bn. AIF, died on the Somme in May 1918. My dad and all but one of my uncles served in WWII. One uncle served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. I did my time in Vietnam as did one of my cousins.

We shall remember them.

In recent years I have discovered that a cousin of my Grandmother who lost his life serving his country during WW1 was not killed in action as everyone in my family had thought for many decades. He was in fact, only wounded, shot through the lung and taken Prisoner of War. He lived for nearly 2 months in captivity, long enough to write home, before dying from his injuries, aged 20.

He was serving in a T.A. regiment and so was one of the first to go to France in 1914. In his service records I found the form which he had to fill in when he joined the T.A. in 1911. The line where it asks for his occupation he has stated none still in Education.

In France it is a national holiday. I attended the small ceremonie in our village. The mayor reading the names of the fallen. It was good to see a decent turn out; from children to very elderly.

Does Australia and New Zealand have the Poppy as a symbol of Remembrance Sunday and sell them to raise funds for Veterans like what is done in the U.K.?

SPECIAL REMEMBRANCE DAY

Waynes Keep is a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery which is situated in the UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus and still a political hot potato even today.

Had the honour of laying a wreath for THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT on Remembrance Day for the 14 men killed and buried there between 1955 and 1959 in the EOKA uprising in Cyprus. 13 of which died in one year..........1956.

Sandy desolate cemetery, in no mans land where UN and CWWG permissions were needed to enter, escorted in by UN vehicle and Liaison WO2, continually looked down on by armed Turks. The whole place is held in a time warp. Embassies shot to pieces, vehicles abandoned, shops exactly how they were hurriedly evacuated. In the distance on the mountainside is the large Turkish flag to show the Cypriot side who currently holds the high ground!!

NEVER FORGOTTEN WHEREEVER THEY LIE, AND NO MATTER HOW HARD IT IS TO GET THERE
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
RIP Young Men - Lest We Forget
UTRINQUE PARATUS

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Originally Posted by Gil Boyd

Waynes Keep is a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery which is situated in the UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus

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I remember that place well, and walked through as a line NCO during one tour in summer '80. I looked over all these graves and more, just below the Grammar School.

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Originally Posted by Flying10uk

Does Australia and New Zealand have the Poppy as a symbol of Remembrance Sunday and sell them to raise funds for Veterans like what is done in the U.K.?

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Speaking from a NZ perspective, the RSA (Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association) volunteers start selling poppies on Poppy Day which is the Friday before ANZAC Day (25th April) for the the annual poppy appeal. From poppy day till ANZAC Day you will see people wearing poppies in NZ. Much less common to see poppies worn on 11 November by the general public and there are no sales of poppies leading up to the day. Although armistice day is commentated, ANZAC day is the principal day which NZ honours those who served and still serve our country.

Jim,
I have added a photo of the school, now a major OP for the Turks who spent a good hour in the heat of the morning watching every move we made.......sorry but it winds me up, this senseless grab of land and property and for what, leaving graves in no mans land until two sides talk to sort out ther differences ?
Next to Waynes Keep cemetery is a Greek cemetery. I saw tombs that had been opened, the rest of the cemetery wa a in desperate need of some care. What had they done to have their graves desicrated?
I also put a photo up of the Morris Oxford hearse as it was left in the garage at this cemetery with the wheels stolen and most probably the engine too.

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Originally Posted by Gil Boyd

a photo of the school

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It's been many years since I walked that ground, but remember things...I always look for related soldiers, there was a set of brothers and one of a father and two sons. I think one of them was up by that corner in the picture. Part of the whole affair there is an Armenian enclosure. They aren't accepted by either faction so they're vastly worse off than the Greek graves I think. I too could get into a discussion about why and what for, but we'll have to save that for old soldiers PMs. When I was wandering around this area, I wasn't supposed to be there...line NCO for the UN gets away with much if he has the moxy. This place has been one of my fondest memories, to have been able to visit the boys out of turn...summer of '80. Thanks for the pix.

Although only a child at the time, I do remember Turkey invading Northern Cyprus in 1974 and seeing the numerous news reports and coverage at the time. I seem to remember seeing footage of Turkish use of paratroops to capture key sites. I also recall politicians of the day having much to say about Turkey's invasion of Northern Cyprus but not wanting to actually do anything about it.