»
Archives
»
Open Poetry #37
»
ANZAC Day , New Zealand and Australia 25 April
| Open Poetry #37 |
|
ANZAC Day , New Zealand and Australia 25 April |
|
|
poettothecars Senior Member
since 2006-02-10
Posts 1093New Zealand 
|
New Zealand time is currenlty 16 hours ahead of EST (pip time) My poem of 'Forgotten Heroes' for me is significant on this day of mine, at this very minute of this time in New Zealand (and Australia) where services of rememberance are taking place nationwide one good thing can come from another, in the name of love a writers will, is always to write, a poets way is to express always dedicated to my great uncle, as composed at his funeral 12 December 05 To think at the closing stages of his funeral, others were singing a hymn, I was instead writing for Him. Just grateful to have had a pen and paper on me to write 4679 Forgotten Heroes 12 December 2005 To those forgotten heroes men who walked at our sides Those prayers given just like the might of precious lives Our loved ones those tears in our eyes Every morning that opens a window of this in soul to wonder and surprise Not forgotten at all for we will remember them Our heroes - brothers - sisters departed wives and friends For we will each to our hearts and shine Farewell to them - never to forget - this love to mind “for Richard Ernest Herbert” (02 May 1916 - 09 December 2005) © 2005 Christopher W Herbert (a New Zealand Poet) a poet who cares (as to borrowed words and memory of a sacred day of this earth) ANZAC = AUSTRALIAN and NEW ZEALAND ARMY CORPS. ANZAC Day - 25 April - is most likey New Zealand and Australia's most important national occasion and a Public Holiday. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during 'The Great War', World War One. (1914-1918) ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they soon took in that name endures to this day. On 25 April 1915, eight months into the First World War, Allied soldiers landed on the shores of the Gallipoli peninsula. This was Turkish territory that formed part of Germany's ally, the Ottoman Empire. The troops were there as part of a plan to open the Dardanelles Strait to the Allied fleets, allowing them to threaten the Ottoman capital Constantinople (now Istanbul) and, it was hoped, force a Turkish surrender. The Allied forces encountered unexpectedly strong resistance from the Turks, and both sides suffered enormous loss of life. The forces from New Zealand and Australia, fighting as part of the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps), played an important part in the Gallipoli campaign. At its beginning, people at home greeted with excitement the news that our soldiers were at last fully engaged in the war. New Zealand soldiers distinguished themselves with their courage and skill, establishing an enduring bond with the Australians they fought alongside. The Gallipoli campaign was, however, a costly failure for the Allies, who after nine months abandoned it and evacuated their surviving troops. Almost a third of the New Zealanders taking part had been killed; the communities they came from had counted the cost in the lengthy casualty lists that appeared in their newspapers. And the sacrifice seemed to have been in vain, for the under-resourced and poorly-conducted campaign did not have any significant influence on the outcome of the war. Although Anzac Day, the anniversary of the first day of conflict, does not mark a military triumph, it does remind us of a very important episode in New Zealand's history. Great suffering was caused to a small country by the loss of so many of its young men. But the Gallipoli campaign showcased attitudes and attributes - bravery, tenacity, practicality, ingenuity, loyalty to King and comrades - that helped New Zealand define itself as a nation, even as it fought unquestioningly on the other side of the world in the name of the British Empire. After Gallipoli, New Zealand had a greater confidence in its distinct identity, and a greater pride in the international contribution it could make. And the mutual respect earned during the fighting formed the basis of the close ties with Australia that continue today. "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" Anzac Day Today New Zealanders have marked the landings at Gallipoli since news of the event first reached this country, and Anzac Day has been a public holiday since 1921. On this day the people of New Zealand have acknowledged the sacrifice of all those who have died in warfare, and the contribution and suffering of all those who have served. Over time there have been changes in the way that the day has been commemorated, reflecting the changing features and concerns of our society. During the Second World War, for example, there was increased interest and a heightened sense of the relevance of Anzac Day; in the 1960s and decades following it was from time to time used as a platform for anti-war and other social protest. Today, at a time when it seems New Zealanders are increasingly keen to assert and celebrate a unique identity, we recognise Anzac Day as a central marker of our nationhood. The number of New Zealanders attending Anzac Day events in New Zealand, and at Gallipoli, is increasing. For some younger people, the sombre focus of the day receives less emphasis than do the more celebratory aspects of a national holiday. For most, though, the day is an occasion on which to formally pay tribute and to remember. Anzac Day now promotes a sense of unity, perhaps more effectively than any other day on the national calendar. People whose politics, beliefs and aspirations are widely different can nevertheless share a genuine sorrow at the loss of so many lives in war, and a real respect for those who have endured warfare on behalf of the country we live in. |
||
| © Copyright 2006 Christopher W Herbert - All Rights Reserved | |||
Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
Happy ANZAC day to you. Thanks for the NZ history lesson! |
||
|
Jason Lyle Senior Member
since 2003-02-07
Posts 1438With my darkling |
Very nice, in any time zone.... Jason |
||
|
Kethry Member Rara Avis
since 2000-07-29
Posts 9082Victoria Australia |
Dear poettothecars, I think you've captured the spirit of the ANZACS here. I was watching a documentary on the 'Sandakan Trail' on Anzac and we do need to remember... not just for ourselves but for all the world as well so that there will be no more war. It was good to read you. Here in the midst of my lonely abyss, a single joy I find...your presence in my mind. Unknown |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||
