Quote:
Originally posted by misterpink
brought a tear to my eye - my father always turned out for the anzac day dawn parade - and you would have to be pretty hard to attend a parade, listen to the last post etc. and not shed a tear. i still get this lump in my throat when i think about the futility of most conflicts including current ones.
i have genuine respect for those that are(and have been) in the armed forces, but less so for the politicians that send them for seemingly political rather than humanitarian reasons. |
Don't worry mate, I cried like a b1tch just typing it this morning. Thinking back to all the dawn services I've attended over the years. The one's I've marched at and ones I've just attended.
In my first year in the Army we did a 'Freedom of the City' march in a small country town in Victoria. Echo company marched through the town with me in the middle of the ranks. I was 16 years old marching through the town in my ceremonial uniform not really understanding the impact and what it was all about. The only thing I really thought of before this was playing sport and going to the beach!
After the parade and later in the pub (if you're wearing a uniform in Aus on ANZAC day you'll never have to reach into your pocket to buy yourself a drink, even if you're two years underage) I got talking to one of the original diggers who was there, his name was Derek and he could still put the beer away! He taught me a lot about the ANZAC spirit (in amongst making sure I got quite drunk and played two-up!) and I was touched to have met him.
Each company goes back to the same town every year so they can form a bond with the locals. I really wanted to see if this digger was going to be there again but unfortunately I was an Apprentice Senior NCO in my second year and was moved to Alpha company. We went to a different town and I was the apprentice Company Commander on parade marching behind the company staff and the real company commander. I carried the sword, wore the gear and was the first apprentice to march through the town that day and I couldn't help myself but cry, it was all I could do to not start blubbing.