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Australians honour war sacrifice
news.com.au ^ | 11th November 2006

Posted on 11/11/2006 5:02:08 AM PST by naturalman1975

AT the national war memorial in Canberra, at Flemington racetrack and in cities across the country and around the world, Australians have paused to remember those killed in war.

A minute's silence was held in services throughout Australia at 11am to remember the sacrifice of those who died. The time marks the minute of the hour of the day the armistice to end World War I was signed.

Prime Minister John Howard, the Governor-General Michael Jeffery and Defence Minister Brendan Nelson attended a memorial service in Canberra, at which the names of two Australians killed in Iraq were unveiled on the War Memorial honour list.

Mr Howard and Gen Jeffery both laid wreaths, pausing briefly to reflect on the diggers' achievements, before the crowd observed a minute's silence.

Addressing the crowd, Dr Nelson urged Australians not to forget the diggers' sacrifices and the values for which they fought.

"No group of Australians has given more, nor worked harder, to shape and define our identity than those who wore, and wear today, the uniform of the Australian soldier, sailor, airman or woman," he said.

"We now face distant horizons and new, but no less ubiquitous or dangerous, threats to that for which our nation has stood in its short history.

"We need those qualities today more than we ever have."

Thousands of Australians have attended sombre ceremonies in capitals and towns around the country.

In Melbourne, buglers played the Last Post at 18 intersections throughout the city.

Trams stopped, radio broadcasters paused and the flow of champagne at the final race meet of the Melbourne Cup Carnival stopped momentarily as Victorians remembered those who had perished in war.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: lestweforget
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields

Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields


THE ANSWER

Fear not that you have died for naught
The torch you threw to us, we caught
and now our hands will hold it high
It's glorious light shall never die
We'll not break faith with ye who lie
On many a field

On battlefields the cannons boom
And fitful flashes light the gloom
While up above, like eagles, fly
The fierce destroyers of the sky
With stains the earth wherein you lie
Is redder than the poppy bloom
On many a field

Sleep on, ye brave! The shrieking shell
The quaking trench, the startling yell
The fury of the battle hell
Shall wake you not, for all is well
Sleep peacefully, for all is well

Your flaming torch aloft we bear
With burning heart and oath we swear
To keep the faith, to fight it through
To crush the foe, or sleep with you
On many a field.

They shall grow not old
As we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them
nor the years condemn

At the going down of the sun
And in the morning
We will remember them

LEST WE FORGET


1 posted on 11/11/2006 5:02:09 AM PST by naturalman1975
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To: naturalman1975


2 posted on 11/11/2006 5:04:10 AM PST by kinoxi
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To: naturalman1975

Eternal gratitude to our wonderful friends, the Australians.


3 posted on 11/11/2006 5:17:37 AM PST by Bahbah (Regev, Goldwasser and Shalit, we are praying for you)
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To: naturalman1975


http://www.beccycole.com/albums/videos/poster_girl.shtml


4 posted on 11/11/2006 6:12:14 AM PST by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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