Fire Frog's

Lest We Forget

There have been several soldiers in our family. They fought for us, many of their friends and close family died for us. This page is for us, things I have found that you might want to remember or think about.

For 'The Saga of Sgt. A Browning DCM' (great Grandfather Browning) see Here

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them.

Armistice Day.

Those who never returned surely deserve just a moment of our time. May the Red Flowers always return each November...

 

"In Flanders Fields"

By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The Torch: be yours to hold it high!
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

This bright red flower became a symbol of World War I after a bloody battle in a field of poppies called Flanders Field in Belgium.

"Never worry my friend, I'll look after your family," said the soldier to his fallen comrade. And that is what Legacy is all about. Buy a poppy, or a Christmas pudding or a lighted torch pin, and help support their families too. Visit this link for more information:

The Origins of Legacy http://www.legacy.com.au/origins.html

Why Legacy is Special http://www.legacy.com.au/whyisitspecial.html

 

And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda

by Eric Bogle

When I was a young man I carried a pack
And lived the free life of a drover
From the Murray's Green banks to the dusty outback
I waltzed my Matilda all over

Then in 1915 my country said "Son,
There's no time for droving, there's work to be done."
And they gave me a tin hat and they gave me a gun
And they sent me away to the war

And the band played Waltzing Matilda
As the ship pulled away from the quay
Amidst all the cheers, flag waving and tears
We sailed off for Gallipoli

It's well I remember that terrible day
When our blood stained the sands and the waters
And how in that hell that they called Souvla Bay
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter

'Johnny Turkey' was waiting, he'd primed himself well
He rained us with bullets and he hailed us with shell
And in five minutes flat he'd blown us hell
Nearly blew us right back to Australia

And the band played Waltzing Matilda
As we stopped to bury the slain
We buried ours and the Turks buried theirs
Then it started all over again

Those who were living did their best to survive
In that mad world of death, blood, fire and flies
For ten weary weeks I kept myself alive
While around me the corpses piled higher

Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse-over-head
And when I awoke in my hospital bed
And saw what it had done, Christ, I wished I was dead
Never knew there were worse things than dying

For no more I'll go waltzing Matilda
All around the green bush far and near
For to hang tents and pegs a man needs two legs
No more waltzing Matilda for me

They collected the wounded, the crippled and maimed
And shipped us back home to Australia
The armless, the legless, the blind and insane
The proud, wounded heroes of Souvla

And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay
I looked at the place where my legs used to be
And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me
To mourn and to grieve and to pity

And the band played Waltzing Matilda
As they carried us down the gangway
But nobody cheered, they just stood there and stared
Then they all turned their faces away

So now every April I sit on my porch
And watch the parade pass before me
I see my old comrades, how proudly they march
Reliving their days of past glory

I see the old men all twisted and torn
The tired old heroes of a forgotten war
And the young people ask me
"What are they marching for?"

And I ask myself the same question

And the band plays Waltzing Matilda
And the old men still answer the call
Year after year, those old men disappear
Soon no one will march there at all

Waltzing Matilda,
Waltzing Matilda
Who'll go a'waltzing Matilda with me?
And their ghosts can be heard
As they march by the billabong.
Who'll go a'waltzing Matilda with me?

We shall not flag or fail. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; and we shall never surrender.

Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many, to so few. - Sir Winston Churchill.

 Surviving Armistice Day.

I have brought the red poppies, which have been made from paper and plastic and silk. I have attended the ceremonies, in towns and cities across the land. And I have made these observations as I stood there.

First, always wear a broad brimmed hat and take a bottle of water. The speeches are far more interesting if you aren't staving off heat stroke while listening to them.

For foreign visitors - the speaker will tell you when to take off your hat to show respect. Keep them on until then. I remember one well intentioned tourist went hatless to show his respect on a particularly hot summer day, and he collapsed soon afterwards with heat stroke - not the memory we want him to leave with!

Second, take your kids. It is important that they get a feel for what makes Australians Australian. But if it gets to hot, the speeches to long, its okay to take them home early.

You want them to remember a ceremony of pride and remembrance, not one that bored them out of their minds. Tell them they can stay longer when they are older - making the full ceremony something to look forwards to, a coming of age.

Thirdly, no matter how small the town is, there will always be someone willing to learn the bagpipe for these ceremonies. There is no escaping it, but take heart, they can't blow for that long.

Fourthly, learn the words to the national anthem. Please! They aren't that hard and it makes the observance so much stronger if many voices can be raised in song.

Fifth, watch out for our elder citizens. They often feel it is a point of pride to stand out and honour their fallen comrades. But few can resist a younger child (correctly prompted and monitored!) offering to help them find a shaded seat in the provided pavilion. Give them a hand!

There aren't that many ceremonies in the Australian year, these ones are worth holding onto.

 

Back to FamilyPond Index Page.

Mail Me Quick! firefroghome@modnet.com.au