The film Gallipoli is pretty good, - some moving scenes in it and great music. I read a good book last holiday, "Birds without wings" which had some interesting bits in it from a Turkish perspective, - although if you ever want to read a good war book, - Birdsong by Sebastian Faulkes is the one.

British soldiers were of course also at Gallipoli, although did not get the pig of a job the Anzacs did, - it was the London Regiment, City of London Yeomanry. Gallipoli was reported through the papers over here as being a great success and was celebrated as such in London. A few years ago I did some research into my grandfathers WW1 campaign and found out that he signed up the day after Gallipoli was paraded as a triumph, - and he joined the same City of London yeomanry. Few years later and he gets blown up on hill 61 outside of Ypres, ended up in a Bolougne field hospital with bits missing. But he was lucky after going through the Somme campaign’s as he made it home.

Because of the connection I have always had a thought for Anzac day, - and actually it proves that despite all of the sports baiting between nations I think that there is still a pretty strong link.

Living in Japan it is pretty hard to see too many ANZAC celebrations, but there is one at a graveyard for Commonwealth troops who died here in WWII. As a yank, I feel a touch of pride in knowing that ANZAC (many being territorials) and green US troops stopped the Imperial Japanese forces for the first time in Milne Bay in New Giunea. The ozzies were a tough lot there and deserve our respect for their determination in those early savage battles.

Thanks Digger, Rob

Anzac Day
 

Well done TP! None of us should ever forget those terrible battles of the Great War.

Thanks TP,

My Grandfather fought in WW2 in New Guinea and is a regular at the RSL, he's 88? now and getting on. He was in bomb disposal!!

Doesn't like to talk about the war, lost too many mates.

On my list to visit ANZAC cove and this is a timely reminder.

Lest we forget.