No ANZAC Day parades or celebrations this year - the government has decreed that its unsafe to stand in a crowd and celebrate those men and women who served their country so we can be now be easily manipulated and bullied as a population.

What should be a day of celebration is just another day of shame in New Zealand in my eyes

Yes, a real shame the long standing dawn parades and services are not happening today to commemorate our veterans and fallen fore-fathers. Today, I remember my dear grandad, a veteran and survivor of the Gallipoli campaign. A loving, family man who bore no animosity to anyone and yet when called upon stepped up to serve for the greater cause.
That Kiwi spirit survives and under Covid I think that is what Kiwis are doing now. Momentarily sacrificing freedom and liberty for the greater cause. Sadly it will be tough going for some time but instinctively Kiwis know we will rebuild and in due course emerge with freedom and liberty restored. We are Kiwis and wouldn't have it any other way.

We will do the annual celebration in the back yard for Australian kids.

Happy Anzac!

Wish I was there for the dawn service and breakfast!

Fried tomatoes, love that!

I disagree on the freedom and liberty restored , mate . We are losing freedom and liberty hand over fist and watching it disappear. The Kiwi fighting spirit doesnt exist in the younger generations today...

https://www.facebook.com/Austr...if_t=comment_mention

Keep an eye on this Facebook page. ANZAC day in the MER

Thank you!

Fair winds and following seas!

My son in law is on the USS Truman. His first deployment.

I came home from my last deployment in the Spring of 2010 before taking the Embassy job in Kambrah! for my last tour.

Kids were born in Australia and I speak with my shooting friends in Australia almost weekly. Would love to emigrate back.

So, do you celebrate Nov. 11 as well, like we do ?

Grizz

Growing up in the '60s, I have been less sanguine about these things than people seem today, and haven't been to an Anzac parade since about 1959 when I went with my veteran father.

However, this week women in our street organised a kerbside commemoration and we stood out there at 6 o'clock this morning with candles. A bugler was heard and the church soprano two doors up sang the national anthem. Then, about the time bagpipes came out of someone's radio, the beagles across the road gave voice. As an old hunter, I have to tell you I preferred the hound music.

Afterwards, I found a group of people standing a fraction close, including a policeman who had declined an earlier street 'party' invitation "because I'd have to arrest you ". I gave him my condolences.*

*We are still reeling here from the deaths of four police run over this week, presumably by a rubbernecking van driver. Apparently highway patrol is dangerous because many police suffer from such happenings, just one at a time. I suspect a kind of horse-head syndrome - when eyes are made to look left, the body/hands tend to follow.

quote:

Originally posted by Grizzly Adams1:
So, do you celebrate Nov. 11 as well, like we do ?

Grizz

Yes mate we do. That's our remembrance day.

We had one of the Doc's here play the bagpipes. It was a nice touch.

Great to see a WW2 veteran aged 95 came back in time for ANZAC day.

The younger people are facing different challenges and "enemies" Muzza.

They are very resilient and resourceful.

The stuff my 21 & 17 year old boys cope with were not my challenges until I was past 25.

Look at sport - the young players are every bit as committed and resilient as the past generations. They are just different.

quote:

Originally posted by muzza:
I disagree on the freedom and liberty restored , mate . We are losing freedom and liberty hand over fist and watching it disappear. The Kiwi fighting spirit doesnt exist in the younger generations today...

Don't know if I agree Naki. I don't see a lot of resilience in young people coming through the Military these days.