I remember hearing stories of how when they came home they weren't just spat at, they were verbally abused, they had pig's blood thrown at them... they were derided. My dad was in the Vietnam War in 1969. It's such a foreign word in my insular world. WAR. But sure enough... he's got the broken down body to prove it. He was in 5RAR, a battalion that I recognise by their 'Tiger' logo. He walked through jungle all day carrying an M60 machine gun. He was shot at, he was blown up. He did his time, day to day not knowing if he was ever going to see home again... he survived and came home. As time marches on and we lose our precious ANZACS, so should we move on and start to recognise more and more the men who really didn't get the recognition back when they needed it the most. This Anzac Day, I'll be thinking of those men. I'm not shying away from the legacy of the WW1 veterans, or even our surviving WW2 veterans... but my day of honouring those who fought for my country will be spent thinking about those young men, going to a country for a reason they probably had little clue about... fighting simply because they were told to. I may be out of line there, and if I am, I apologise. I've seen the way my dad copes with life now; how it has affected him, and I think... there must surely be hundreds of men in this country that were never offered the support that they needed and deserved. So many men whose kids have grown up into their late twenties and early thirties now, having troubles coping with stress and life, because they took on their father's grief. When you see a telecast of men walking down the street tomorrow... know that it isn't a re-hash. These amazing gentlemen deserve our support, respect and love. My heart is filled with gratitude for the men that went away from our wonderful shores to fight so our shores stayed wonderful. Tomorrow isn't a day of mourning. It's a celebration... of men who lived and died for us... ...and I'll bet you anything if you celebrate and honour these men tomorrow... ...you'll see some diggers with pretty big smiles on their faces. Love Court.
Posted: 2009-04-24 20:29:33Author:admin