Hi all

This Thursday is ANZAC Day as I am sure everyone is aware. On this sacred day I invite everyone to stop for a minute and give thanks to every person who has ever served our Country.

If it wasn't for these brave souls we may not enjoy the freedom of travelling around as we do.

If you're near an RSL, maybe just drop in and have a beer and reflect for a short while with those there on what a fantastic country we live in.

My family is going to the Torquay Dawn Service, and my daughter and her fiancé who are both serving ADF members and recently returned from Afghansitan will be marching there. I'm sure I will shed a tear as they march past and in my heart I am  so proud of them both.

She is only 22 and has served her country for 4 years, and when I think of what her and her mates do I am inspired by them.

They don't like war and like so many before them are just doing what they are ordered to do. It's their job.

So this ANZAC Day, lets give thanks to all of them, past and present, I know I will be :)

My mothers father was wounded in Gallipoli , my dad served on a couple ships in WW2,
He's now 89 , will be 90 this november..
he served on the corvet HMAS Kupunda and the HMAS Australian.

it was something for dad because he was a gunnery officer
but most of the time was up on the bridge doing radar work etc
he was transferd from this ship to the HMAS Kuapunda, a small corvet
ship,just before the attack on the HMAS Australian ,which was hit by suicide bombers (planes)
and the guy that took his place was never found so he was lucky!!

about 5 years ago now my niece and i went to Turkey and to Anzac Cove
for Anzac day ,was a very moving and special moment..

on the way down to the beach, as we had our bus parked right up the top of the hill.
I was hit by a bus and all my gear went every where, we had to take a sleeping bag and such
as we were there the night before, and as I was lying there on the ground ,even though there was a road
there now, I was imagining how it would have been for a young Aussie to be laying down on the ground,either
wounded or trying to get cover looking up the hills and hearing all that noise from the guns etc
it really brought it home what they went through..

if you ever get the chance to go to Anzac cove , just once in your life ,do it... 

Id love to go back some day but with out the crowd and do some more looking around ..who knows..

but this week I'll be going to Berry for our local service, as we used to live there when I was younger...

sorry for the crap video but was recorded on a mobile at the time but you get the idea of what Anzac cove is like

I wish I had the health for the navy.. I'd be there.. with every one os

 Fireheart wrote, -------   A special day that should be kept sacred and just one day where I am sure there is no need for shopping, movies or anything else except rememberance.

"LEST WE FORGET"         
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Truer words have never been spoken, ! Agree with that 110% !

PS where and how did you come up with the name ''Fireheart'' ??

I won't be doing anything as special as a mate of mine who lives in the far nort west of Thailand.

He is off on a more than 2000km motorbike ride with his club of ex-pats to the Dawn Service & other events at Hellfire Pass on the infamous Burma Railroad.

I would love to go there also as my Father was "a Guest of the emperor" as he used to say, for more than 3 years on the railroad and in Changi.

My Brother was a Regular & did a couple of Vietnam tours & a bunch of other stuff.

For my part I only did 3 easy years in the CMF (14 battery 5th Field Regt. Royal Aus. Artillery), and will attend the local service.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL8u00l0CnE

I can see why blokes get drunk on Anzac day, it blots out the memories.

To all ANZACS past and present I say a very big THANK YOU.....