Reflections on Anzac Day 2010

Yesterday was Anzac Day. Last year I wrote of it in point form [1]. Today I’m doing it again:

I didn’t keep my resolution to read Les Carlyon’s 2001 book Gallipoli [2] and 2006 book The Great War [3] before Anzac Day 2010.

But I’ve changed my mind about the 1985 film ANZACS [4]. I now plan to see it before Anzac Day 2011.

Yesterday I marched in Deloraine’s Anzac Day march, as part of the 24-person contingent from the five volunteer fire brigades in the Deloraine area.

It’s the first time I’ve done so. I don’t know what made me do it this year.

In bright sunshine the march down the main street ended at the newly restored cenotaph near the Meander River where there was a ceremony and service watched by the public outside the cenotaph precinct.

At each corner of the cenotaph, an army cadet stood stock still with head bowed for the entire time.

The several speakers were mostly boring. Some content of the speeches overlapped (why weren’t the speeches pre-coordinated?), and an elderly female clergywoman said some prayers.

As a secular Jew, it offended me that all the prayers mentioned Jesus, there was a reading from John’s gospel, and two Christian hymns were sung. To my knowledge Australia has no official religion. And if Christians are in the majority, that doesn’t justify them ramming their beliefs down the minority’s throats.

The best speaker was the Captain of HMAS Collins [5] – the lead submarine in our fleet of Collins Class submarines [6]. He spoke about a Deloraine boy John Collins (1899-1989) who became Vice Admiral Sir John Collins KBE, CB (pictured). He was Chief of Naval Staff 1948-55, and of course the Collins Class submarines were named after him.

I don’t know the words of Advance Australia Fair. I don’t intend to learn them.

I was most moved when the Last Post [7] was followed by a minute’s silence after which the Australian flag was slowly raised to full mast. The laying of several wreaths came second.

I was appalled that God Save the Queen was sung.

Overall I’m pleased I attended. I don’t know if I’ll go in 2011. I’ll decide after I’ve read the books and watched the movie.

farmdoc's blog post number 525

The Last Post. Wikipedia says it was originally a bugle call used in British Army camps. Its name comes from the inspection of each camp sentry post at day’s end. Playing a bugle call signalled a post had been inspected and its military day had ended. In the 19th century the Last Post was incorporated into military funerals in all Commonwealth of Nations countries where it’s played as a final farewell symbolising the duty of the dead soldier is over and he can rest in peace. Also it’s played in public ceremonials commemorating war dead, e.g. on Remembrance Day and Anzac Day. And it’s played each night at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. So every single time the Last Post publicly sounds out, is a solemn, meaningful and contemplative occasion. Yet last week the Australian War Memorial announced that, due to budget cuts, its nightly Last Post closing ceremony will henceforth be sponsored (by telecommunications company TransACT). If this isn’t a travesty, I don’t know what is. I can’t accept that public money can’t be found to pay a bugler for a few minutes each day, 365 days each year. Commercialisation of the nightly ceremony, however tasteful, is sacrilege. Blasphemy. A gratuitous trumpeting (pun intended) of the capitalism paradigm. All concerned should hang their heads in shame. But they won’t. For they have no soul.

farmdoc's blog post number 370

Today’s Anzac Day. A day for remembrance and gratitude. And contemplation. Here are some of my thoughts about Anzac Day 2009:

World War I was a rotten and ignominious war. A hell. It’s called the Great War, but there was nothing great about it.

Australians fought in it only because of Australia’s subservient allegiance to Britain.

Australia wasn’t under attack, so I don’t know how my nation and I would be different had World War I not occurred.

Did Germany lose World War I only because of the influenza pandemic?

All the Anzacs are now dead. I can’t tell you the name of the last one to die, or the year he died.

Does the nature of Anzac Day change, or need to change, now no Anzacs are alive?

I’ve never been to an Anzac Day dawn service, and I've no ambition to attend one.

I’ve never seen the 1985 film ANZACS. And currently it’s not on my list of films to see.

The ANZACs’ Gallipoli landing, on 25 April 1915, doesn’t commemorate heroism and bravery, but rather blind obedience to negligent authority.

I don’t know how close the myth of Simpson and his donkey, is to reality.

If Anzac Day’s so important to my country, why isn’t there a nation-wide Anzac Day public holiday in 2009, given that today’s Saturday?

The pilgrimage to the Anzac Day dawn service at Gallipoli evolved into a ritual on the watch of John Howard who as prime minister had the moral rectitude of a cowpat.

The Collingwood-Essendon football match is another Anzac Day ritual.

I’ve resolved to read Les Carlyon’s 2001 book Gallipoli and 2006 book The Great War before Anzac Day 2010.