ANZAC

"We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and the 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; we shall never surrender." Winston Churchill

In 1915, on April 25, World War I, a campaign strategy set into place by Winston Churchill sent the allied forces, the ANZACS, into the first major military action fought by the Australian and New Zealand Armed Forces, landing upon the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey.

Information had been leaked, mistakes had been made... the soldiers met fierce resistance, sitting ducks under enfilade fire from the Turkish Army, infantrymen in the water they suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. It was a bloody massacre.

Beautiful men that could never hope to have had any idea what was to strike them were lost that day, and in the eight month campaign that followed. They knew a fear, a courage, a love, a hate, that most of us are fortunate enough to never have to know. The cold, the blood, the rats, the smell of death, decomposing bodies metres fromt hem, rounds and shrapnel whizzing past their ears... the earthly thump of a propelled metal round tearing into human flesh.

Today, April 25, 2010, ANZAC Day in Australia, the media, social media networks and many forums are filled with rudimentary "Lest We Forgets". (ANZAC is an acronym for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). A day of rememberance, as many countries have across the globe, I am looking upon these spat out "Lest'"s and wondering just how much is an uneducated, but socially applauded lip service?

Do people really understand ANZAC day anymore? All the "lest we forget"s...do they even know what to remember?

I'm a member of the RSL, (Returned & Servicemen's League) being, of course, ex-military and having seen active service. Having done Officer Training at Royal Military College, Duntroon, in the Australian Army, my work in the military was extreme and I saw...a lot. Probably far too much. Perhaps, in fact one would assume, my perspective may be far different. But it seems quite simple and perhaps, people do know what it is they are being asked to never forget...I sincerely hope we do.

Above all else "Lest we forget ...our GRATITUDE"

For we are free.

Melissa Hocking 2010