Salute

[Clivoris]

You're a bastard Jim. Another wonderful post that brought a tear to my eye. I'm fairly optimistic about the current crop of young ones maintaining respect for those who gave so much in the two World Wars. The increased interest in ANZAC day and other events is a good sign.
Great thread people.

[peasea]

Thanks Jim for that post. My dad was Army (Engineers) in North Africa and Italy. My uncle was a navigator in a Wellington bomber. I appreciate what they did, glad others do too.

Was going through some shite, trying to find unrelated family snaps and came across a picture of my olds on their first date, a bicycle ride in 1934. They married in 39, the day war broke out. Off goes the old man into the Royal Navy. Ended up doing minesweeping for the Russian convoys (Mermansk way), saw action in the Pacific Fleet (hence the move to NZ after being stuck in Wgtn for repairs, he fell in love with the country, clever boy) then rounded it out with the Normandy invasion on D-Day.

He was one of the lucky buggers.

The Spifire was an awesome machine alright, flown by equally (or more) awesome men. (They sound fuckin' cool too.) As Winnie said; "Never before in the history of human conflict have so many owed so much to so few."

I never forget what those buggers did, nor what their wives (like my mum) endured at home. V1 bombs still ring in my eldest sisters' ears, she's 70 next year and was a toddler in the blitz. What a way to remember your childhood.

Yes, I remember those people... and not just on ANZAC Day.

On ya J2, good one.

See the attached; my mum and dad on their first date, 1934. Think what they were about to experience.

[Pussy]

Yes, I remember those people... and not just on ANZAC Day.

Great sentiment, peasea!

[James Deuce]

I'd like to rehabilitate a post of mine, something I hope conveys the depth of humanity that most old warriors exude.

None of them want to be worshipped. Most of them initially thought they were doing the right thing. Not a one of them would mistake the smell of arterial blood and ruptured bowels for glory.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...post1129407301

[Macontour]

Nice to read the original thread. I too would have gone outside for the Spitfire. I was at the Auckland ANZAC service today.Ive been in the Green Machine(Reserves) for 26 years and it is pretty much a pleasure to attend. Not many of the oldies left but they always get a round of applause from the young ones.I was there when they wound upthe 28th Maori Battalion Association because there are so few left, only 23 or 24 left now.

Very hard to imagine 18 year olds today going off to fight for 4 or 5 years and endure what our older veterans went through.And yet we have lost 10 in Afghanistan who were remembered today. Gladthey are allhome now. And there was an item on Campbell live tonight about an old guy who has waited 70years for his Atlantic Star medal for all the convoy trips he did on ships. Most of the ships that he served on got sunk and he somehow survived the war. He mentioned the Tanker ships that got hit and basically just disappeared with all crew....no survivors.

We will remember them

[cheshirecat]

re 18 year olds going off to fight. I was born post war, remembering well when sweet rationing stopped and played in bomb craters. I've lived through the Korean war, Vietnam, Cold war where several friends just dissapeared, IRA bombing my best pub and leaving bits of horses and men in trees and more recently Falklands, Iraq and Afganistan. Thanks to those who fought and sacrificed so much, mine however, is the first generation where going to war wasn't compulsory so my son and his mates don't need to kill foreigners on a governments wims. 18 years old though is the best age for going to war, they have the energy, naive moralities and such a deep sense of immortality. The generals in the WW1 knew this well.