FReeper Canteen ~ ANZAC DAY - April 25th ~ 23 April 2020

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ The FReeper Canteen presents…. ~

ANZAC DAY - April 25th

Last Post - click

Come home! Come home! The last post is sounding
for you to hear. All good soldiers know very well there
is nothing to fear while they do what is right, and forget
all the worries they have met in their duties through the
year. A soldier cannot always be great, but he can be a
gentleman and he can be a right good pal to his comrades in
his squad. So all you soldiers listen to this - Deal fair by all
and you’ll never be amiss.

Canteen Mission Statement

Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies military
and the family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.

ANZAC War Memorial, Sydney, Australia

Anzac Day is commemorated by Australia and New Zealand on 25 April every year to remember members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who landed at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. Anzac Day is also observed in the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tonga. It is no longer observed as a national holiday in Samoa.

Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. The acronym ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, whose soldiers were known as Anzacs. The pride they took in that name endures to this day, and Anzac Day remains one of the most important national occasions of both Australia and New Zealand.

When war broke out in 1914, Australia had been a Federal Commonwealth for only thirteen years. In 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of an Allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula to open the way to the Black Sea for the Allied navies. The plan was to capture Istanbul, capital of the Ottoman Empire and an ally of Germany. The ANZAC force landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold strike to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stale-mate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915, the Allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. Over 8,000 Australian and 2,700 New Zealand soldiers died. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians and New Zealanders at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which they remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war.

Though the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives of capturing Istanbul and knocking Turkey out of the war, the Australian and New Zealand troops' actions during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as an "Anzac legend" became an important part of the national identity in both countries. This shaped the ways they viewed both their past and their future.

More ANZAC Day information

Australian poet Banjo Paterson wrote the words to "Waltzing Matilda" in January 1895 while staying at Dagworth Station, a sheep and cattle station near Winton in Central West Queensland owned by the Macpherson family. The words were written to a tune played on a zither or autoharp by 31‑year‑old Christina Macpherson, one of the family members at the station.

Waltzing Matilda - click

Gallipoli Guide

Lone Pine Memorial - Gallipoli

Auckland, New Zealand War Memorial Museum

Advance Australia Fair - click

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature’s gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history’s page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.

In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We’ll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who’ve come across the seas
We’ve boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.

In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

God Defend New Zealand - click

MAORI LYRICS

E Ihowä Atua,
O ngä iwi mätou rä
Äta whakarongona;
Me aroha noa
Kia hua ko te pai;
Kia tau tö atawhai;
Manaakitia mai
Aotearoa

ENGLISH LYRICS

God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.

Please remember that The Canteen is here to support
and entertain our troops and veterans and their families,
and is family friendly.

[E.G.C.]

We lucked out BIG TIMEwith the weather yesterday. The storms waited until they got past us before they started producing tornadoes over in SE OK. There were 2 fatalities in Madill which is out by Ardmore. I hosted a watch party for KTEN's coverage on my Facebook page yesterday.

Pics from Wichits Ridge yesterday

[radu]

Howdy, LUV.

There have been better days but so far, it hasn’t been a disaster. Been dealing with a sick cat all day and night.

I did get the grocery shopping done in the dry .... barely. LOL It started sprinkling as I drove home. Raining pretty hard at the moment.
We might get a little storm or two tomorrow but the chances are slim. They’ll stay well south of us again. They’re already ripping across MS. :-(

[radu]

Howdy, Kathy.

The rain is here but hasn’t been too heavy until a few minutes ago. It’s really pounding on the roof at the moment.

It must still be pretty warm up there. The ice on Lake Hood is melting pretty quickly these days.
Is that mound of snow in your front yard disappearing?

[radu]

Howdy, E.G.C. ((HUGZ))

Glad you were lucky enough to miss out on the bad storms. That system has moved over here but the storms dove south of us. We’ll get more rain and maybe a thunderstorm or two but nothing severe.

Looks like your weather cleared off nicely for your outing with Gizmo.

[shaggy eel]

,,, thanks Kathy. The real danger for our family here during these five weeks off is that we'll actually get to know each other.

Its been a good time to observe community spirit and a degree of solidarity as we all face this new frontier. Pumpkins, celery and eggs arrive on our driveway and home baking and feijoas go out from our place to others. With our usual treadmill stopped its an unusual time to partly live a life we'd lost decades ago. Its autumn here which is the best time of year.

[Gay State Conservative]

Hmmm...I knew that the Aussies were in Vietnam but I didn't know that the Kiwis were as well. Funny,I just learned the other day (here on FR) that the South Koreans were also there.

Very interesting indeed.

[JimRed]

“And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda”
- Eric Bogle

Now when I was a young man, I carried me pack, and I lived the free life of a rover
From the Murray’s green basin to the dusty outback, well, I waltzed my Matilda all over.
Then in 1915, my country said son, It’s time you stopped rambling, there’s work to be done.
So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun, and they marched me away to the war.

And the band played Waltzing Matilda, as the ship pulled away from the quay
And amidst all the cheers, the flag-waving and tears, we sailed off for Gallipoli

And how well I remember that terrible day, how our blood stained the sand and the water
And of how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay, we were butchered like lambs at the slaughter.
Johnny Turk he was waiting, he’d primed himself well. He shower’d us with bullets,
And he rained us with shell. And in five minutes flat, he’d blown us all to hell
Nearly blew us right back to Australia.

But the band played Waltzing Matilda, when we stopped to bury our slain.
We buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs, then we started all over again.

And those that were left, well we tried to survive, in that mad world of blood, death and fire
And for ten weary weeks, I kept myself alive, though around me the corpses piled higher
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head, and when I woke up in my hospital bed,
And saw what it had done, well I wished I was dead. Never knew there was worse things than dyin’.

For I’ll go no more waltzing Matilda, all around the green bush far and free
To hump tent and pegs, a man needs both legs-no more waltzing Matilda for me.

So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed, and they shipped us back home to Australia.
The legless, the armless, the blind, the insane, those proud wounded heroes of Suvla
And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay, I looked at the place where me legs used to be.
And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me, to grieve, to mourn, and to pity.

But the band played Waltzing Matilda, as they carried us down the gangway.
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared, then they turned all their faces away

And so now every April, I sit on me porch, and I watch the parades pass before me.
And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march, reviving old dreams of past glories
And the old men march slowly, old bones stiff and sore. They’re tired old heroes from a forgotten war
And the young people ask, what are they marching for? And I ask myself the same question.

But the band plays Waltzing Matilda, and the old men still answer the call,
But as year follows year, more old men disappear. Someday no one will march there at all.

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda, who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
And their ghosts may be heard as they march by that billabong, who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
***********************************************************************************************
NOTES:
“Matilda” - the backpack and associated gear used by livestock drovers and prospecters
In remote areas of the Australian outback.
“Swag” - canvas sleeping bag
“Billabong” - creek or estuary, generally with an outlet to the sea and containing more or less brackish water.

[JimRed]

I sang that one a couple of times at our weekly (until the closings) Irish session at our nearby pub. Tear jerker.

[luvie]

Gooood mornin', Early Birds!
It's a beee-uuu-teee-ful day here!
Barely a breeze and lots of sunshine.
The calm before the high wind later.
My most unfavorite thing.
That + low humidity=possible wildfires.
Which I hope never happens!
At least we won't have tornadoes.
RIP the souls who perished in the ones yesterday in TX and OK.
Sooo...iet's stay in and have some lovely tea.
spel can pour...pinkies up!
...and have a GREAT day!
((((hugs))))

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

“spel can pour...pinkies up!”

Yes, I sure can.....pour it right down the tubes!!!!!!

[tomkow6]

Hi, Radu! How are you & all your furry critters doing?

[radu]

Howdy, tomkow!

We’re hangin’ in there like a hair in a biscuit.
You doin’ alright these days?

[redcatcherb412]

I knew that the Aussies were in Vietnam but I didn't know that the Kiwis were as well.

They weren't a large presence, but contributed rifle companies under operational control of the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment. That regiment played a big part in TET 68 where my brigade ran many patrols in tandem with them. Great bunch of lads.