ANZAC Day but...

[MadDuck]

I have heaps of respect for those that went to war for us but my grandfather was in the Merchant Navy serving in Egypt to name just a few countries and he was never allowed to join the RSA.

As a very young chick I remember going with him to try and join the RSA and they said they didnt recognise the Merchant navy lads. Said he was not part of the war. So I dont buy poppies out of my respect of my ole pop.

Comments?

[Motu]

My grandfather was a Conscientious Objector - he got white feathers in the mail.I come from a long line of Hippies.

[Hans]

My grandfather was a Conscientious Objector - he got white feathers in the mail.I come from a long line of Hippies.

Which of course shows the great bravery of those who mailed them. I'm sure those feathers were sent straight from the frontline and not, say, from the local post office.

[Marknz]

I have heaps of respect for those that went to war for us but my grandfather was in the Merchant Navy serving in Egypt to name just a few countries and he was never allowed to join the RSA.

As a very young chick I remember going with him to try and join the RSA and they said they didnt recognise the Merchant navy lads. Said he was not part of the war. So I dont buy poppies out of my respect of my ole pop.

Comments?

I have complete and utter respect for any man or woman who has ever gone to a war zone to help ensure that we can live the life we lead. I don't care if they're Army, Navy, Air Force, Merchant Navy, civilian staffers or what... they should all be recognised and thanked for their efforts.

[CookMySock]

The whole point of the war was so that you and I can still voice our opinion publicly, and stand up for what we beleive in. Without the war, we might not have that now.

So you make sure you do that. None of us are 'wrong' - we are just all different and diverse - celebrate it!


Steve

[Solly]

I have heaps of respect for those that went to war for us but my grandfather was in the Merchant Navy serving in Egypt to name just a few countries and he was never allowed to join the RSA.

As a very young chick I remember going with him to try and join the RSA and they said they didnt recognise the Merchant navy lads. Said he was not part of the war. So I dont buy poppies out of my respect of my ole pop.

Comments?

Agree with you MD, any effort during the war should be recognised.......I do still buy poppies, as in my opinion, the respect I pay are to the soldiers who fought for our freedom and not to the organisations weighed down in "red tape & politics".
Respect to your "ole pop" and all those like him.

[Maha]

I have heaps of respect for those that went to war for us but my grandfather was in the Merchant Navy serving in Egypt to name just a few countries and he was never allowed to join the RSA.

As a very young chick I remember going with him to try and join the RSA and they said they didnt recognise the Merchant navy lads. Said he was not part of the war. So I dont buy poppies out of my respect of my ole pop.

Comments?

That should be...Duckling??

[Number One]

My grandfather was a Conscientious Objector - he got white feathers in the mail.I come from a long line of Hippies.

So was my grandfather that's why he could never return to his homeland of Bulgaria. Apparently he would have been arrested on return because of it. He wasn't much of a hippy though - pity - he might've been a nicer guy to be around and treated his women and kids with a little more respect.

I buy poppies. My dad is a military man and though he wasn't involved he had links with many that were. For me it is about recognising those that gave their lives and even those that may yet give their lives in service....I'm a hippy so I wouldn't do it

[pzkpfw]

Maybe it's changed? Numbers are thinning out, so they might have changed policy. (Obviously too late for many, in any case).

A merchant marine in an unarmed boat crossing dangerous seas deserves our respect. And anyway, who got the food and amunition to the troops.

Anyone who felt the sharp end of a U-boat certainly saw the war close up.

[Oakie]

Maybe it's changed? Numbers are thinning out, so they might have changed policy. (Obviously too late for many, in any case).

A merchant marine in an unarmed boat crossing dangerous seas deserves our respect. And anyway, who got the food and amunition to the troops.

Anyone who felt the sharp end of a U-boat certainly saw the war close up.

Exactly my thoughts. They were in the line of fire as surely as any front line soldier was but with no means to fight back or even hide. Much respect.

[James Deuce]

My Grandfather was Merchant Navy prior to WWII. He joined the RN at the outbreak of war and finished up in Special Forces in SEA. He transferred to the RNZN past war and he never once set foot in an RSA because of their policy toward Merchant seamen.

He only turned up to one RSA Parade when he was presented with a George Medal replica (along with all the other Malta convoy participants) by the Maltese Government to mark the 50th anniversary of Operation Pedestal. 4 of 15 Merchant Navy supply ships made it to Valetta harbour.

His argument was that the Merchant Navy began operating on a war footing in 1937, when they made relief runs to the South of Spain to supply displaced Spanish civilians (he had other things to say about how those sailors treated refugee Spanish women) and so had at least 2 years experience of operating in a war zone prior to WWII starting. A merchant Navy sailor killed in battle is just as dead as an RN sailor killed in battle and swabbies in either service had about as much control over their own fate as each other. No point discriminating over uniforms.

I went to Anzac Day parades when I was in Boy's Brigade (not cool, eh, but lots of fun irrespective of innuendo) until an aged Charles Upham started taking the piss at the Domain one dawn parade during his "review".

[Jantar]

...they said they didnt recognise the Merchant navy lads......

Reminds me of when Earnst Peters tried to join the RSA. He flew combat missions in the final months of the war in Europe, but when he applied to join the RSA he was refused simply because he happened to be in a Focke Wulf rather than a spitfire.

[FROSTY:Me]

My grandfather was a Conscientious Objector - he got white feathers in the mail.I come from a long line of Hippies.

MY GOSH--you mean even back then people were hiding behind pseuonyms--go figure

[NZ CBR]

Buying Poppies or not I feel ANZAC Day is about remembering and respecting all who have gone before us and helped to get us what we take for granted today.

As an ex Army per, Anzac day is huge deal and always a time to remember close mates who past whilst I was serving.

I dont think Ansac should be just for those who where in the war, not forgeting that they are a HUGE part, but knowing how how much the wives etc at home help, they should not be disregarded.

What ever you are doing, Take some time to think what it means for you.

Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them.

[MadDuck]

he never once set foot in an RSA because of their policy toward Merchant seamen.

I guess I never really understood and still dont why that policy existed.

I have pops discharge papers and payment books which to me as an average person made me think he was actually part of the war. Oh and the stories he used to tell

What a proud man he was!