Sunday, April 25, 2010

Anzac Day, 2010


My 'Pa-Pa'
2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion
Palestine, 1941
Aged 37, in photo
Also fought in New Guinea
Survived the war, passed away when I was 19
Never spoke about the war... not once
Can't imagine what he went through
RIP 'Pa-Pa' xx

More info about my Pa-Pa's duties HERE.

20 comments:

stormygirl said...

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.

ilipilli said...

So young, A-M. Thanks for sharing this - I always appreciate hearing personal stories on Anzac Day. Lest we forget.

Kerri said...

We will remember. K xx

wakingupwithyou said...

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

Sarah B said...

I can't imagine what he went through either. It's a very special day.

Verandah House said...

we will remember them xx

The Moerks said...

It is so hard to comprehend what they might have been through. They will be remembered.

Julie@beingRUBY said...

Lovely tribute A-M
My dad survived the war also... it is strangely quiet and much cooler here today.... a hushed tone all round... Here to the memory of our loved ones.. xx Julie

Miss Nell said...

My husbands grandfather fought in the same battalion in New Guinea, was MIA for a couple of years. Its something he rarely spoke of either, only started to tell my husband a few tales a few months before he passed away.

Lest We Forget xx

Millie said...

How different things are today, your Pa-Pa was from a different generation of men where words were almost the enemy of their emotions. Such a gracious tribute from a loving grand-daughter.
Millie ^_^

Andrea said...

I have been thinking of all of my Australian friends this ANZAC day and observed my own moment of silence here in Canada. You have a courageous family A-M. Must be something in the genes....

Andrea

Sandy said...

Nice Pa-Pa! I can see why you are so proud of him. My FIL was in the US Army and serviced in France and Germany (behind the enemy lines) during WWII. He never talked about it either. Many of his buddies didn't make it home. They were the Greatest Generation.

Teacup Lane (Sandy)

fabric epiphanies said...

So sad that 3 NZ airforce personal lost their lives today in a airforce helicopter crash on their way to commemorations.

A-M said...

No!!! So tragic. A-M xx

Julienne said...

We do remember.

Jen said...

my lovely Grandad has never spoken a word about the war until recently. He is in the early stages of dementia, and has started talking about his experiences, his mates, the loss, the terror, the pain, and the pride.
We have very brave ancestors. We're the lucky ones.

Annie@A View On Design said...

yes I lost a couple of great uncles to WW1, one of them 19yo, not married yet, died flying a plane over france, such a waste of life...

Mrs C said...

Lovely tribute A-M x

Engracia said...

My husband's uncle lost his life at the age of 18 on D-Day. He was a RAAF pilot and was part of the D-Day invasions but never made it to France. He is buried in Bayeux. Lest we forget.
Engracia
xx

Ms Unreliable said...

One of my grandfathers was an RAAF pilot, and the other was a Rat of Tobruk. Both returned, and neither ever spoke a word of their time served. The only insight we have into the hell they suffered are some barely legible scrawled journals from the trenches and tunnels of Tobruk. One of these days, I'll transcribe every last word.

Lest we forget.

xx Kit