Anzac Day reminds us we owe
OPINION: It’s difficult to write something different about Anzac day because the message never changes. The service, as sombre and as serious as the bitter reminder of death can be, stands as a stark milestone in the psyche of our nation, kicking us in the guts and playing with our minds. It’s revered by most and rejected by some, but all share the freedom of choice others paid for at the highest cost to self, to family, to whanau and to country.
There are no moralities in war, not at the high level anyway, only the fact that those with the best ordinance and the best strategies will kill more than are killed so will go on to fight another day.
I’ve spent some time working on a manuscript, researching
New Zealand’s contribution to WWI. In the research centre at Puke Ariki is a book listing all the Distinguished Conduct Medals and Military Medals awarded to NZers. The citations are included and it makes for sober reading. For every man recognised there would be hundreds if not thousands who deserve such an honour but were killed or their heroic efforts were never witnessed.
As moving as Anzac Day is, the actual experience of war is utterly unimaginable, known only to those who served. Those who saw and felt raw violence and mechanised slaughter.
In the clash of armies on the Dardanelles, the Turks were the tangata whenua. Who could blame them for the savage and unrelenting defence of their homeland? It was kill or be killed. It was brutal. It was butchery. It was the lingering stench of rotting bodies. It was lying in your own filth with your dismembered comrades lying beside you.
Many, including Taranaki’s celebrated Colonel Malone were killed by ‘friendly fire’ defending their position at Chunuk Bair. Torn open by machine gun fire and naval bombardments from New Zealand guns in the maelstrom of lead and confusion from failed plans and being ordered to do the impossible.
This is why I have the utmost contempt for Nicky Hager’s and Jon Stephenson’ claim in their book Hit and Run that NZ SAS personnel killed six civilians in Afghanistan.
For the New Zealand government to give credence to these claims is no better. Afghani civilians kill too. Civilians in modern warfare can be the enemy as much as the soldiers and when neither wear uniforms, who knows who will kill you first?
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Fear not, lady editor, for the 6000 products reliant on petroleum products for their manufacture. A future, more realistic government (quite possibly a Labour one) will overturn the actions of this anything-to-please/appease, instant-gratification outfit. Be happy that this Greenie suck-up is not long term.
Steve Jones
New Plymouth
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