Protect the legacy of those who died for our freedoms
Remember the ordinary people and those who fought for them, writes Reg A. Watson
Club, later to become Legacy.
Gellibrand would not be easy to get on with. In civilian life he clashed with those with whom he worked, but always his concern was with the returning servicemen. On Anzac Day he marched with the men in civilian clothes, much to the chagrin of Monash and Chauvel. In my eyes, Gellibrand was a great man who would not suffer fools easily. Oh, how we need such in these grim days — fearless and righteous leaders!
They are the ones who should not be forgotten. Many of them nameless. Many in unmarked graves in western Europe and elsewhere, buried at sea or shot down over enemy territory. How much did all those who loved them grieve? How many ladies in black were to be seen in the streets of our cities after World War I? Three thousand young Tasmanians died in that war and 6000 returned wounded.
They fought for their country, their family and freedom, from the Boer War to Afghanistan and in between. We have seen, however, how fragile freedom is. It can be taken away without a flicker by the whims of those in charge, backed up by state authorities. Yes, they went away to fight for the continuation of freedoms which we enjoyed in Australia to the extent of fighting off an invading, brutal enemy — but freedom can be easily taken away.
It is imperative that we remember those who went before us to battle on our behalf and that we cherish what they believed in: freedom of expression, freedom of movement, freedom of assembly and freedom to make our own choices. We must never, never give it up easily, as it seems to have happened in this modern era.
Anzac Day. To remember those who left our shores and as distance in time increases there is the possibly that it will grow dim in our memory. To do so would be selfish to the most extreme. Tomorrow and next year and the years after, let us pass the lantern to those who follow.
ANZAC Day is a day to remember those who left their families, their community and country, to serve in war zones, risking their life and limb. Most were young and most were to die young.
Nations call upon their youth to answer the call, while older men, either military or civilian, direct their destinies.
For many it was a call to adventure or, let’s be frank, an opportunity to get away from an unpleasant love affair, a boring job or financial trouble. Most enlisted for patriotic reasons. Anzac Day is to remember those who served during World War I.
On April 25, all those wars and conflicts our nation has been involved in, even before Federation and after World
War I, are also embraced.
For me it is to remember those ordinary folk who served in our military forces, and our nurses who gave so much. We remember the families whose sons, brothers, grandsons, friends and cousins who were thousands of miles away, their fates unknown.
Anzac Day should not only be about recalling the feats of generals Monash, Chauvel, Birdwood and Blamey, but also the young soldier, sailor and airman who plodded the jungles, the marshes, the seas, the skies, the deserts, the Arctic ice, for they were really the ones who sacrificed themselves for others. We remember the privates, the stokers, the able seamen, the aircrew, the noncommission ed officers, the lieutenants and captains who led troops at an incredibly young age. The fatality rate of the last two was very high. We remember those who served in the merchant navy. Our nurses should be remembered for their unflinching call to duty, their sense of obligation and their sacrifice. The generals have their medals, their awards, their exclusive clubs, with books revealing their exploits on how great they were. But it was young Jack who really fought and made the sacrifice and, if he came home, he often did without a limb or perhaps with a mangled burnt face, as did our fighting airmen, and certainly all with jangled nerves.
Mind you, one of my greatest heroes was a general, Sir General John Gellibrand, the highest-ranking Tasmanian officer in World War I. A sign of a good general is one who looks after the welfare of his troops.
During the war, Gellibrand clashed constantly with superiors, and in one incident General Monash actually apologised to him, admitting he was right. Gellibrand’s concern continued after the war, with the Remembrance