Well I had such an AMAZING week this week, I went to the most AMAZING ANZAC day service in my life.
It was in Flanders Fields where the poppies grow and it was incredible! From the time the first service started at dawn (6am) to the time I left the last service (I went to 5 different ones) at 2pm I was in tears at the incredible way that they salute our soldiers here and the amount of respect that they show them. There are many nationalities who fought in the battle of Ypres, but it is the Australian Soldier who is recognised and saluted above all the rest. Not only on ANZAC day, but all year round. "They shall not grow old, as those who are left behind 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. Lest We Forget." This along with the Last Post and the Australian, New Zeland and Belgian national anthems are performed here in Ypres every night at 8pm, every day of the year, without fail, as a constant reminder of the war that was said to be the war to end all wars and the soldiers who died to protect the rights and liberties of Australians. Yesterday I felt more pride than I ever thought I could feel to be an Australian. I wore my Rotary jacket along with the other Australian students who thought that it was important to go. Only seven of us out of over 20. I was very dissapointed at the turn out, but I suppose you can't force patriotism on those who just don't understand. The seven of us were asked to march in the parade with the Official Party and were escorted by bagpipes and a brass band. After this myself and two other Aussies were given the honour of laying a wreath on behalf of the Australian exchange students. I did not give a speech, they decided about three weeks ago to vito the speeches as last year the person chosen got very emotional and couldn't finish her speech. I managed to video the entirety of the dawn service. It was really a very emotional day for me and I am so very glad that I had the chance to see it. It pulled at the strongest of my heart strings to see just how much the Autralian soldier is respected here and made me feel so very lucky and proud to call myself an Australian. I managed to speak to a man who is the foreign affairs officer in Australia and he was so impressed by the initiative we took going all the way there off our own steam and not saying it was too hard. I was so impressed by the conduct of every other Australian there, even the loud drunk ones who just came for the weekend shut their mouthes and seemed to be really moved by the service. It was the most amazing experience of my life and I am so glad to have had the chance to do it.
It was in Flanders Fields where the poppies grow and it was incredible! From the time the first service started at dawn (6am) to the time I left the last service (I went to 5 different ones) at 2pm I was in tears at the incredible way that they salute our soldiers here and the amount of respect that they show them. There are many nationalities who fought in the battle of Ypres, but it is the Australian Soldier who is recognised and saluted above all the rest. Not only on ANZAC day, but all year round. "They shall not grow old, as those who are left behind 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. Lest We Forget." This along with the Last Post and the Australian, New Zeland and Belgian national anthems are performed here in Ypres every night at 8pm, every day of the year, without fail, as a constant reminder of the war that was said to be the war to end all wars and the soldiers who died to protect the rights and liberties of Australians. Yesterday I felt more pride than I ever thought I could feel to be an Australian. I wore my Rotary jacket along with the other Australian students who thought that it was important to go. Only seven of us out of over 20. I was very dissapointed at the turn out, but I suppose you can't force patriotism on those who just don't understand. The seven of us were asked to march in the parade with the Official Party and were escorted by bagpipes and a brass band. After this myself and two other Aussies were given the honour of laying a wreath on behalf of the Australian exchange students. I did not give a speech, they decided about three weeks ago to vito the speeches as last year the person chosen got very emotional and couldn't finish her speech. I managed to video the entirety of the dawn service. It was really a very emotional day for me and I am so very glad that I had the chance to see it. It pulled at the strongest of my heart strings to see just how much the Autralian soldier is respected here and made me feel so very lucky and proud to call myself an Australian. I managed to speak to a man who is the foreign affairs officer in Australia and he was so impressed by the initiative we took going all the way there off our own steam and not saying it was too hard. I was so impressed by the conduct of every other Australian there, even the loud drunk ones who just came for the weekend shut their mouthes and seemed to be really moved by the service. It was the most amazing experience of my life and I am so glad to have had the chance to do it.
