Pictures of Australian War Memorials Online
April 23, 2009 3:15 PM   Subscribe

Tomorrow is ANZAC Day, when Australia and New Zealand remembers its fallen diggers who gave their lives (video link) in defence of our freedoms in the major conflicts of the 20th century. If you can, you really should try and attend one of the many dawn services that will be held at numerous war memorials located all around both countries tomorrow. Many of these memorials to the fallen have been documented and are now viewable online. Check out the war memorial pages for Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria (The Shrine of Rememberance in Victoria has its own web page), South Australia and the Northern Territory, Western Australia and the big one in the ACT, the Australian War Memorial. New Zealand has documented many of theirs online as well. Lest we forget, there's also a memorial at ANZAC Cove itself.
posted by Effigy2000 (32 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
We Will Remember Them.
posted by vac2003 at 3:26 PM on April 23, 2009


Previous related FPP's --

Gallipoli

Noublions Jamais L'Australie.
posted by ericb at 3:30 PM on April 23, 2009


Gallipoli trailer (1981) [video | 01:44].

Gallipoli preview (1981) [video | 07:56].
posted by ericb at 3:34 PM on April 23, 2009


Jack: What are your legs?
Archy Hamilton: Springs. Steel springs.
Jack: What are they going to do?
Archy Hamilton: Hurl me down the track.
Jack: How fast can you run?
Archy Hamilton: As fast as a leopard.
Jack: How fast are you going to run?
Archy Hamilton: As fast as a leopard.
Jack: Then lets see you do it.

-------------------------------------

Archy Hamilton: I'll see you when I see you.
Frank Dunne: Not if I see you first. *
posted by ericb at 3:38 PM on April 23, 2009 [1 favorite]


Obligatory link to The Band Played Waltzing Matilda, this time from the lovely voice of June Tabor.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:42 PM on April 23, 2009 [2 favorites]


NevAR forget!
posted by subaruwrx at 3:46 PM on April 23, 2009


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.
posted by Talez at 3:53 PM on April 23, 2009


Be sure to check out:
2005 documentary 'Gallipoli' (Ronin Films) [trailer] by Turkish filmmaker Tolga Örnek.

Discovery: The Gallipoli Catastrophe.

ABC: Gallipoli: The First Day.
posted by ericb at 4:05 PM on April 23, 2009


I would drink a VB in honour of these men if I could get one around here. Or even a XXXX.
posted by GuyZero at 4:10 PM on April 23, 2009


Or even a XXXX

Please GuyZero. The diggers fought to end such cruelty.
posted by Serial Killer Slumber Party at 4:35 PM on April 23, 2009 [1 favorite]


.
posted by pompomtom at 4:46 PM on April 23, 2009


Have a read of this essay by high-school student Jessica Sampford.
posted by wilful at 5:54 PM on April 23, 2009


The interesting thing about ANZAC day to me is, from my perspective of growing up in the country in australia, the remembered shared experience amoungst all of my friends was not the glorification that I hear a lot about these days, but of old, tired vetrans addressing all of us on why no-one should ever, ever go to war - and especially one for another country.

The idea that anzac day is about glorifying those who fought for freedom or whatever the current prevaling attitude is, seems to be a recent phenomenon. Maybe it's a reaction to the general hypernationalist climate this decade, or maybe it's related to needing to be okay with conflicts we're fighting in now, due to their polticially charged nature, or...

well, I don't know. But somehow, I feel sad at the loss of the old message.
posted by jaymzjulian at 7:27 PM on April 23, 2009 [1 favorite]


The first combat action faced by the newly-created Royal Newfoundland Regiment (a couple of months late to arrive, but among the last to leave), and still commemorated there today (literally, today).
posted by hangashore at 7:45 PM on April 23, 2009


Jaymzjulian, it's certainly not the ANZACs who have changed their message, it's just as their numbers grow fewer and fewer their message is being drowned out by the annoying nationalism of current affairs programs, tabloids and their ilk. The whole 'Australian glory' thing seems to ignore the message behind ANZAC day completely, just take those who go travel to Gallipoli on ANZAC day only to trash it as an example. For some, it's not about acknowledging sacrafice and the ills of war, it's about waving a silly little flag.

The proper message is still there; it pleasing to see the ANZAC art prize has entrants from Australian, New Zealand and Turkish artists. Many services also try and incorporate an acknowledgement of the Turkish lives lost. But Australians like to cling to our icons to establish our identity (I myself am guilty only a few comments up of making a snide beer comment due to state identity) and by making it an icon, we cheapen what it is about (just like how the Australian flag and Southern Cross are becoming synonymous with racial prejudice).

Maybe I'm just tired, inner-west living, latte-sipping, SBS watching, bleeding-heart lefty. But god damn, Australians are finding ways to contort make perfectly reasonable things just to remind themselve where they bloody come from.

Lest we forget. Lest we misunderstand.
posted by Serial Killer Slumber Party at 7:54 PM on April 23, 2009 [2 favorites]


One of my favorite war related pieces of writing is "Our Graves in Gallipoli" by E.M. Forster. It's hard to find in its own context online, so I hope it's ok if I reproduce it here:
OUR GRAVES IN GALLIPOLI

E. M. Forster (1922)

Scene: the summit of Achi Baba, an exposed spot, looking out across the Dardanelles towards Asia and the East. In a crevice between the rocks lie two graves covered by a single heap of stones. No monument marks them, for they escaped notice during the official survey, and the heap of stones has blended into the desolate and austere outline of the hill. The peninsula is turning towards the sun, and as the rays strike Achi Baba the graves begin to speak.

FIRST GRAVE: We are important again upon earth. Each morning men mention us.
SECOND GRAVE: Yes, after seven years' silence.
FIRST GRAVE: Every day some eminent public man now refers to the "sanctity of our graves in Gallipoli."
SECOND GRAVE: Why do the eminent men speak of "our" graves, as if they were themselves dead? It is we, not they, who lie on Achi Baba.
FIRST GRAVE: They say "our" out of geniality and in order to touch the great heart of our nation more quickly. Punch, the great-hearted jester, showed a picture lately in which the Prime Minister of England, Lloyd George, fertile in counsels, is urged to go to war to protect "the sanctity of our graves in Gallipoli." The elderly artist who designed that picture is not dead and does not mean to die. He hopes to illustrate this war as he did the last, for a sufficient salary. Nevertheless he writes "our" graves, as if he was inside one, and all persons of position now say the same.
SECOND GRAVE: If they go to war, there will be more graves.
FIRST GRAVE: That is what they desire. That is what Lloyd George, prudent in counsels, and lion-hearted Churchill, intend.
SECOND GRAVE: But where will they dig them?
FIRST GRAVE: There is still room over in Chanak. Also, it is well for a nation that would be great to scatter its graves all over the world. Graves in Ireland, graves in Irak, Russia, Persia, India, each with its inscription from the Bible or Rupert Brooke. When England thinks fit, she can launch an expedition to protect the sanctity of her graves, and can follow that by another expedition to protect the sanctity of the additional graves. That is what Lloyd George, prudent in counsels, and lion-hearted Churchill, have planned. Churchill planned this expedition to Gallipoli, where I was killed. He planned the expedition to Antwerp, where my brother was killed. Then he said that Labour is not fit to govern. Rolling his eyes for fresh worlds, he saw Egypt, and fearing that peace might be established there, he intervened and prevented it. Whatever he undertakes is a success. He is Churchill the Fortunate, ever in office, and clouds of dead heroes attend him. Nothing for schools, nothing for houses, nothing for the life of the body, nothing for the spirit. England cannot spare a penny for anything except her heroes' graves.
SECOND GRAVE: Is she really putting herself to so much expense on our account?
FIRST GRAVE: For us, and for the Freedom of the Straits. That water flowing below us now --- it must be thoroughly free. What freedom is, great men are uncertain, but all agree that the water must be free for all nations; if in peace, then for all nations in peace; if in war, then for all nations in war.
SECOND GRAVE: So all nations now support England.
FIRST GRAVE: It is almost inexplicable. England stands alone. Of the dozens of nations into which the globe is divided, not a single one follows her banner, and even her own colonies hang back.
SECOND GRAVE: Yes... inexplicable. Perhaps she fights for some other reason.
FIRST GRAVE: Ah, the true reason of a war is never known until all who have fought in it are dead. In a hundred years' time we shall be told. Meanwhile seek not to inquire. There are rumours that rich men desire to be richer, but we cannot know.
SECOND GRAVE: If rich men desire more riches, let them fight. It is reasonable to fight for our desires.
FIRST GRAVE: But they cannot fight. They must not fight. There are too few of them. They would be killed. If a rich man went into the interior of Asia and tried to take more gold or more oil, he might be seriously injured at once. He must persuade poor men, who are numerous, to go there for him. And perhaps this is what Lloyd George, fertile in counsels, has decreed. He has tried to enter Asia by means of the Greeks. It was the Greeks who, seven years ago, failed to join England after they had promised to do so, and our graves in Gallipoli are the result of this. But Churchill the Fortunate, ever in office, ever magnanimous, bore the Greeks no grudge, and he and Lloyd George persuaded their young men to enter Asia. They have mostly been killed there, so English young men must be persuaded instead. A phrase must be thought of, and "the Gallipoli graves" is the handiest. The clergy must wave their Bibles, the old men their newspapers, the old women their knitting, the unmarried girls must wave white feathers, and all must shout, "Gallipoli graves, Gallipoli graves, Gallipoli, Gally Polly, Gally Polly," until the young men are ashamed and think, What sound can that be but my country's call? and Chanak receives them.
SECOND GRAVE: Chanak is to sanctify Gallipoli.
FIRST GRAVE: It will make our heap of stones for ever England, apparently.
SECOND GRAVE: It can scarcely do that to my portion of it. I was a Turk.
FIRST GRAVE: What! A Turk! You a Turk? And I have lain beside you for seven years and never known!
SECOND GRAVE: How should you have known? What is there to know except that I am your brother?
FIRST GRAVE: I am yours...
SECOND GRAVE: All is dead except that . All graves are one. It is their unity that sanctifies them, and some day even the living will learn this.
FIRST GRAVE: Ah, but why can they not learn it while they are still alive?

His comrade cannot answer this question. Achi Baba passes beneath the sun, and so long as there is light warlike preparations can be seen on the opposite coast. Presently all objects enter into their own shadows, and through the general veil thus formed the stars become apparent.
posted by kmz at 7:58 PM on April 23, 2009 [10 favorites]


(just like how the Australian flag and Southern Cross are becoming synonymous with racial prejudice).

...it is?

Not mocking, just curious.
posted by mightygodking at 9:03 PM on April 23, 2009


I bet my rellos who fought in The Great War and World War One wouldn't know what is going on with the annual round of national ego-stroking. It's un-Australian, and it pisses all over the memory of the people who died, were wounded, were mindfucked. It's indulging in North Korean style pageantry.

The diggers never spoke about their experiences so why wank ourselves, eh?
posted by Gamien Boffenburg at 9:21 PM on April 23, 2009


...it is?

Well I guess any nation's flag tends to get bandied about during annoying nationalism, springing to mind are Pauline Hanson draping herself in it, the Australian flags all turning up at the Cronulla riots and that any racist group (particularly on Facebook) will often use the flag as a major motif.

As for the Cross, well for me (I know this is horribly judgemental) but the people with Southern Cross tats that I know tend to have similar ideologies. It's a bit like those bloody 'made in Australia' tats.

Maybe I'm overreacting but as an avid fan of astronomy, I don't like people messing with my constellations.

All that aside, this sort of focus really shouldn't be what tomorrow is about so I'm going to keep my mouth shut now. What kmz posted is what tomorrow is about.
posted by Serial Killer Slumber Party at 10:15 PM on April 23, 2009


Not that I disagree entirely - or even largely - with the rest of what you've said, Gamien Boffenburg, but I'm curious as to what you think "un-Australian" actually means.
posted by bunglin jones at 10:17 PM on April 23, 2009


un-[Insert Nationality Here]
adj.

1. Anything different.
2. Anything I disagree with.

HTH. HAND.
posted by Talez at 10:35 PM on April 23, 2009


anzac day means biscuits to me
posted by bhnyc at 10:48 PM on April 23, 2009


More on ANZAC biscuits from the AWM.

http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/anzac/biscuit/recipe.asp

Not how I make it. Has to have golden syrup, and I like shredded coconut in it too. Absolutely piss easy to make by the way.
posted by wilful at 11:17 PM on April 23, 2009


Always thought that the Turks were the ones who handled this with the most dignity. Suspect we'd be less forgiving of (let's say) the Japanese wanting to make an annual commemoration of a failed invasion of our countries.

Wish we commemorated something that wasn't a mishandled invasion of a country we had no quarrel with, in the middle of a pointless war between far away people. Why not VJ Day, the end of a war that posed a real risk of invasion to Australia and NZ?
posted by Infinite Jest at 12:12 AM on April 24, 2009


Some of you young folk sicken me (Written by Arthur Leggatt in 10 minutes, at a writers & poets gathering, shortly after listening to some younger, much younger, people who had spoken extremely critically about the dropping of the atom bomb on Japan).
posted by tellurian at 1:28 AM on April 24, 2009


The whole 'Australian glory' thing seems to ignore the message behind ANZAC day completely, just take those who go travel to Gallipoli on ANZAC day only to trash it as an example. For some, it's not about acknowledging sacrafice and the ills of war, it's about waving a silly little flag.

That's the contingent who should also call it 'AAC day', while they're at...
posted by rodgerd at 3:15 AM on April 24, 2009


Always thought that the Turks were the ones who handled this with the most dignity.

True, but this and this are pretty classy.
posted by hangashore at 5:32 AM on April 24, 2009


The Australians I've talked to just seemed annoyed it is on a Saturday this year and they don't get the day off.
posted by smackfu at 6:13 AM on April 24, 2009


I left New Zealand nine years ago so I don't know what it's like today but I remember ANZAC day seemingly becoming more significant each year. It sounds a bit corny to say it but if there's any day when Kiwis stand together as a nation then ANZAC day is it. Shops are closed by law in the morning and nobody seems to object to that.

Here's an interesting article in one of NZ's papers this morning.
posted by tetranz at 10:38 AM on April 24, 2009


wilful: Read to the bottom of the page - the AWM are contrasting the original with the delicious modern version.

mightygodking: Like SKSP says, the Eureka flag has had a parallel history associated with racist nationalism, viz the Lambing Flats Roll Up Banner.

Infinite Jest:
Wish we commemorated something that wasn't a mishandled invasion of a country we had no quarrel with, in the middle of a pointless war between far away people. Why not VJ Day, the end of a war that posed a real risk of invasion to Australia and NZ?


I've always thought that was the point. It's not supposed to be a jingoistic celebration of martial prowess, but a solemn commemoration of the tragedy of war. The enshrinement of a military disaster is a virtue of the holiday, not a fault.
posted by zamboni at 11:23 AM on April 24, 2009


I have mixed feelings about ANZAC Day, we should remember those who died so far from home. But the fact that the military leads the commemoration in NZ is unsettling for me.

They organized a helicopter fly by this morning in Wellington FFS.
posted by Samuel Farrow at 11:58 AM on April 24, 2009


Yeah, I've always liked that Australia's one military 'holiday' was commemorating a complete clusterfuck of a battle, not one where we triumphed. The Turks are very nice about it, though.

I do sort of hear a bit of "ooh, the heroes, our freedoms" type talk, but for me it's a background buzz. I associate that kind of generic jingoism with the usual insincere dribblings of politicians and tv-show hosts, and tune out a lot of it.

I do get pretty pissed off at the faux-solemnity during the ANZAC day footy games. As if 40 blokes kicking a ball around a nice lawn has anything to do with war and loss and duty and international politics. Play the game, or don't play it out of respect, but don't dress it up in borrowed drama.

My grandad was on the Kokoda Track. He died before I was born, but from all accounts the war changed him from being a handsome, happy-go-lucky guy into a right arsehole who beat his wife and gambled and drank until he died early. War is a world of shit, and we'd do best to remember that.
posted by harriet vane at 3:49 AM on April 25, 2009 [1 favorite]


« Older Happy Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day!   |   Bear [Geocities] like a soldier, to the stage Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments