YOUR VIEWS

IT was refreshing to see so many children and young Aussies pay their respects to our homegrown heroes on Anzac Day.

I actually witnessed a neighbour at dawn pay his own tribute to the fallen Anzacs in his driveway complete with photos of his fallen family members, lit candles and the Australian flag hoisted high, dressed in formal services attire complete with his own medals (as he is an ex-serviceman).

This was an amazing and nostalgic scene which I was very lucky to observe and I doubt it will ever happen again, as these are currently extraordinary circumstances due to self-isolation where Aussies refuse not to honour their loved ones in public. In my eyes, this was an essential event and a gathering of one lone person.!

Also inspiring were the many heartfelt tributes from our men and women whom are currently serving our country abroad in the armed services.

Not surprisingly, a lot of these personnel come from a long line of respected ex-servicemen and women. I am so relieved to see these young people display sound morals which will last a lifetime and have a positive effect on Australian society.

Unfortunately, at times we hear of people displaying inhumane behaviour to one another and I am so happy that we have so many young children who will grow into adults with exceptional integrity.

So, if we continue to enlighten our younger generation regarding the Anzac story and remind them of the many sacrifices those men made, our Anzacs will never grow old as they fell with their faces to the foe.

They fought for all of us to have a free life and there is no greater sacrifice in mankind.

PAM DELAHUNTY-HUNTER, BIGGERA WATERS

HOW poignant the solitary piper in full uniform playing Amazing

Grace in front of the Anzac Memorial in Cavill Park just before eleven on Anzac Day.

I was lucky enough to be one of a handful of people in the area drawn by the haunting sounds along with two elderly Diggers, their medals glinting on their chest.

Having grown up in Sydney and attended many Anzac Day ceremonies in Martin Place I always find them emotional, but this was different. No fanfare, troops, marching bands, speeches or ceremony, just a young man paying his respects and earning ours.

Thankyou whoever you are, your spontaneous message was simple but so hauntingly beautiful.

We live in confronting times of solitude and distance but are energised by restorative thoughtfulness and generosity so I must ask our civic leaders, why is there just one solitary wreath on our cenotaph?

CHRIS MAGILL, SURFERS PARADISE

HI Jim. In reference to your letter

(GCB, 25/4) I would like to clear a few facts about Ken Wade. I have known Ken since I was about six when we both attended the Labrador State School which was down on the Brisbane road at Labrador. Ken is a few years older than me at around 80 I would guess. He was always one of the good guys.

The Wade family’s footprint in Labrador is enormous as his father, Stan (‘the moe’) Wade developed a major part of the area. We enjoyed many a great time together with a few partners in crime and always enjoyed a cool drink or two.

Ken was born in Queensland, lived there most of his life until only a few years ago when he decided to make the move over the border. Reasons, really known to himself and his lovely wife Rhonda who – and this may surprise you – is also a Gold Coast girl.

DAVE RODGERS, GAVEN

AS my family and I, together with all my neighbours in the street, stood at the end of our respective driveways, candles in hand, attuned to the emotive refrain of the last post, it gave me time to reflect on what Anzac Day means to me.

I am an Australian by choice. As a former serviceman with the first and fifth Battalion RAR I thought of my friends who went to Vietnam and made the ultimate sacrifice. I thought of my father, a chief engineer in the Dutch merchant marines

shipping cargo through U boat infested waters to supply allied troops. He was severely wounded in action, but the second World War took 20 years to kill him. He died of asbestosis. There is another connection. A connection that we who have come here and those born here benefit from every day of our lives. The sacrifice those brave and selfless men and women made in various conflicts to protect our sovereignty, freedom and way of life bequeathed us the lucky country we have, a legacy we at times forget to appreciate.

We have the right to become whatever we want provided we are prepared to work for it.

We enjoy the freedoms of speech, expression and the right to dissent. We are culturally and religiously diverse and tolerant, have a basic sense of a fair go and select, through majority, those who represent and lead us.

Today as we stand in remembrance on our driveways because of a war against an indiscriminate and invisible enemy, our government demonstrates it values our lives and protects the vulnerable above all else.

None of this would be possible but for those who valued what we have and were prepared to stand, step forward into danger and defend it. For all this, I will remember them as should we all.

BOB JANSSEN, SOUTHPORT