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Just a quick reminder what tomorrow is on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month 1918 the War to End All Wars ceased (how niave we were.)
May those that perished in the flames of that hell be remembered by all generations for defending good against evil.
How true that statement is..................not a day goes by when I don't think of someone we lost in service. Our flag flies proudly for 14 days on our flag pole.
My great uncle Leslie Harold Sadler...KIA 12th Apr 1917 on Vimy ridge. Buried at Chaudiere.
In that era Jim the war touched so many families, may your Uncle rest in peace knowing that there are those of us still walking that will not let the flame of their sacrifice wither away.
"Auspicium Melioris Aevi" ~ hope/token of a better age. Motto of the Order of St Michael and St George.
Taken from this ~ "Idoneum tempus esse, vel ipsa indicant excitata iam, ut diximus, multorum recta studia, atque ista nominatim in Redemptorem tot significationibus testata pietas, quam quidem saeculo insequenti, si Deo placet, in auspicium melioris aevi tradituri sumus.
Translates to ~ That the time is suitable is proved by the very general revival of religious feeling already referred to, and especially that devotion towards Our Saviour of which there are so many indications, and which, please God, we shall hand on to the New Century as a pledge of happier times to come.
My Granddad was born in Waterford, Ireland in the late 1800s and like so many Irish lads joined His Majesty's Forces at the age of 15. His regiment (unknown) was in India until the start of the Great War and then shipped to France. I know he served at the Somme and other battles. He was lightly gassed (is there such a thing?) in 1917 and ended the war as a RSM. After surviving the hell of the trenches he ended up taking an IRA bullet in his lung in 1922. Shot by his own countryman.
I also salute my three uncles (on my mum's side) who served in WW2, one in the Royal Navy, one in the Army Service Corps and one that served as a member of the Royal Household Cavalry (Blues).
BEAR (BDY)
Thinking of great uncle Tpr. Samuel James Woods (Otago Mounted Rifles, wounded at Paschendaele), cousin Pvt. Thomas Smith Mitchell (Wellington Battalion, KIA Sari Bair, Gallipoli), cousin Tpr. Sloan 'Scotty' Bolton DCM (Australian Light Horse, Bersheeba), plus my Dad and uncles who served in WW2. We will remember them!
My Great Uncle Richard Jose was a Petty Officer (236246) on the HMS Defence when sunk on 31 May 1916 during the Battle of Jutland.
I have his pocket bible which he mailed to his father in Cornwall when the HMS Defence was at MaltaAttachment 88447Attachment 88448Attachment 88449
I was dragged down to the shops a little before 11 (i had an alarm set for 10.59 so we wouldn't miss it) and much too my pleasant surprise the big chain store we were in called out they would be having a minute of silence in 5 minutes. Then at 11 read the ode of rememberence and the place was still and silent.
I wouldn't say I'm overly nationalistic as i see plenty of problems with australia but it really makes me proud to see how seriously the general public takes remembering the fallen.
Yep agreed henry but thinking back to the day when Aus only had 5 million inhabitants the war touched just about all the families and right from the outset it was a volunteer army as when conscription was tried it was roundly defeated.
The troops at the front (read it from one of my books) voted "No" to a man as they did not want to see their countrymen come into a place they called hell it was not quite the "Great Adventure" as advertised on the poster as it could not portray what it was really like.
I am about 2/3rds the way through "Jacka's Mob" By Rule (Albert Jacka V.C) the descriptions of how they endured the mud, sleet, snow and frightful conditions is just appalling to the physc thinking of the primeval troglodyte life they lived just one explosion, bullet or bayonet away from oblivion. (Will give a review when I finish it)
Quote:
Originally Posted by RCS
Looks like it was posted on the Greek island of Kerkyra.
I always think the no vote from those guys was one of the most mature responses I have ever heard of. Sure, if you want to come and fight a truly hard fight, come and be welcome. A totally different thing to force someone to do so, particularly from halfway around the world.. I know I'm looking at something with a lens 100 years away from what happened, but I think we got it right back then..Quote:
Originally Posted by CINDERS
That was a long trip to France, note the P1903 bayonets Attachment 88512