Anzac Day

Anzac Day always makes me emotional. I've just been watching the march (sydney) on TV, seeing all those men and women marching, so of them very old. And I know that it's only natural that every year, there are less in some units, old people die. But it still makes me have a bit of a cry. To remember is what today is about, and I try to do that.

Both my grandfathers served in WWII (or should I say World War, 1939-1945). Grandpa served in New Guinea in the tanks, Matilda class I think. Grandad was in Italy. I'm not sure what exactly he was, but he built bridges, being of the brickie profession. I know Grandad marched a couple of times. I'm not sure about Grandpa. Stuart and Tim have their medals.

I think, when I go travelling after I finish Uni, I would like to go to Gallipoli on this day. It seems like a cliche for a young Australian abroad to do that, but I have wanted to since I was little. I distinctly remember one of the anniversaries of Gallipoli, I was still in primary school, but I cannot remember which one. It was a big one. anyway, there was lots of shows on TV about it, and I remember the old diggers taliking about the flies in the jam, and the horrid conditions. All dead now, and one day, in the future, the last of the WWII veterans will die. And hopefully the Anzac tradition will live on. We will remember, Gallipoli and Flanders, Kokoda, Singapore, places where Australians fought and died.