fifi69 Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 So tomorrow, Friday, in Oz is a public holiday for Anzac Day. A day to honour all that have fought for the country. in the UK we have remembrance day, and Remembrance Sunday. No public holiday. Remembrance day was always special to me as my late grandad and uncle were in the armed forced, plus 11/11 is my birthday, so poppies are one of my fav flowers. do you think the UK should also make this a public holiday, does it amuse/annoy you that in Oz we also get a holiday for the queens birthday and Australia Day. im Scottish but married to a Englishman, in Scotland we celebrate Burns day. What has happened to St. Andrew's day and st George's day, bit of a damp squib really. Should we be demanding more? Im not Australian, but love their sense of loving their country and holding dear to them the stuff that matters., Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Thousands turn out for the Dawn Services to pay their respects and the schools all have a special Anzac assembly, when my children were at primary they were encouraged to write Anzac poems, and the assembly always had a service man/woman who would address the assembly (this bit always brought tears to my eyes), not only talking about the conflicts but 'mateship' and how mates in whatever place in your life were important and should be cherished. ANZAC day, is something that the Aussies do well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I think if it became a public holiday in the UK then it would probably lose it's meaning and become diluted. I think Remembrance Sunday should be left as it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Remeberence Day should be a public holiday and so should St Georges day in my opinion but I don't see it changing anytime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Really nice that Will and Catherine were at the dawn service in Canberra this morning. I like them more and more each day. They really do set a great example I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Would anything else be expected? Not attending would give the desired appearance. Catherine appears to be always surrounded by children. They play it rather safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobj Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Jo and I went to our local Anzac service. The community where we live has about 1100 people and probably 300 turned up. A beaut morning, again. Cheers, Bobj. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Les Patterson Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Jo and I went to our local Anzac service. The community where we live has about 1100 people and probably 300 turned up. A beaut morning, again. Cheers, Bobj. better than ours here in Cairns Bob, rained at the dawn service and fairly pissed down when we marched. Still, caught up with a few 5RAR mates so it was worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 One of my ancestors was an Anzac ( my great uncle) who was killed in 1916 . I always remember him and the thousands like him-he was only 20 years old. Could you imagine that happening today? They lived in awful conditions, guess they had to grow up quick smart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I've loved seeing how many young people have been at the services - a legacy we have to continue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyHeart Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 My friend asked me if I was going to Kings Park for the dawn service, I had to ask her how long we'd been friends...I admit we haven't marked the day as such but I admire and respect the Australians who have. I even went to Coles to do my weekly shop to discover it closed! (open Good Friday and Easter Mon tho...go figure...)I did make a rather good batch of Anzac cookies in honour of the fallen though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I think the supermarkets were open in the afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slean Wolfhead Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Would anything else be expected? Not attending would give the desired appearance. Catherine appears to be always surrounded by children. They play it rather safe. I guess Australia is the safest tour for any Royal, I remember Prince Philip saying once that it was an easy trip, because "some of the other places they send me to are bloody awful". They were due to be there at 10.30, but they turned up at 6.30 with torches, then returned at 10.30. I laughed at the girl on ABC who said they'd be leaving at 12.30 for the airport, but would probably have to go back to Government House "to pick up their bags". As if they were normal people who collect their own luggage.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I don't know how appropriate it is, but I had a quiet couple of minutes by the war memorial in town this morning. I think because Remembrance Sunday is always on a Sunday we shouldn't have a public holiday too. Two minutes silence on 11th Nov makes you stop and remember as well as all the commemorative parades and services on the Sunday. Mind you, a day off between the end of August and Christmas would be nice, I suppose.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakeboard1980 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I was at Villers Bretonneux this morning. Sort of like Gallipoli but different. They also had a wreath laying ceremony in town and then a brass band concer in the hall in town, played all kinds of Aussie songs. think there was about or just over 4000 at the dawn service, prett good considering there was less than 5000 at Gallipoli. Back home tomorrow but have had a great 4 days doing a self guided tour of the Western Front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickyplum Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I always think it's a bit sad that St George's Day is never really recognised - St Patrick's Day always seems to be the most popular in the UK - probably because it's good excuse to drink lots of Guinness! As it was St George's Day earlier this week, I mentioned it to a few colleagues and they all seemed completely oblivious to it being on that particular day! Anzac Day is a great celebration/remembrance, and hopefully it will continue long into the future. So tomorrow, Friday, in Oz is a public holiday for Anzac Day. A day to honour all that have fought for the country. in the UK we have remembrance day, and Remembrance Sunday. No public holiday. Remembrance day was always special to me as my late grandad and uncle were in the armed forced, plus 11/11 is my birthday, so poppies are one of my fav flowers. do you think the UK should also make this a public holiday, does it amuse/annoy you that in Oz we also get a holiday for the queens birthday and Australia Day. im Scottish but married to a Englishman, in Scotland we celebrate Burns day. What has happened to St. Andrew's day and st George's day, bit of a damp squib really. Should we be demanding more? Im not Australian, but love their sense of loving their country and holding dear to them the stuff that matters., Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slean Wolfhead Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I don't know how appropriate it is, but I had a quiet couple of minutes by the war memorial in town this morning. I think because Remembrance Sunday is always on a Sunday we shouldn't have a public holiday too. Two minutes silence on 11th Nov makes you stop and remember as well as all the commemorative parades and services on the Sunday. Mind you, a day off between the end of August and Christmas would be nice, I suppose.. I disagree with that, it's too easy to ignore. Remembrance Sunday is the nearest Sunday to Armistice Day on 11th November, I don't know why they moved it to a Sunday other than it was a non-working day and could coincide with Church? Armistice Day for most people is 2 minutes silence and a cannon shot in the City Centres, they used to have to email us at work in case we forgot it, and somebody always talked on the phone right through it...a real non-event. If you wanted to know what happened it will be on the TV news that night! I don't know when they scrapped the actual stopping of everything for 2 minutes, but i remember as a kid that everything stopped, including traffic lights? What I like about Anzac Day is the engagement. They started in Canberra at 9.30pm the previous night with an overnight vigil at the War Memorial, then read aloud soldier's letters home from 4.30am onwards, then the Dawn Service, ceremonies at 10.30....then everybody meanders off for breakfast. You get people camping out all night with chairs and blankets, food and flasks.....they really put the effort in. Shops open in the afternoon, but it's a day of appreciation and sport, huge attendances across sporting codes in the afternoon and evening with minutes silence and buglers before every game. At the Brumbies last night there were a couple of Navy guys in uniform picked up by the cameras...spontaneous round of applause from the crowd. Since they allowed descendants of dead soldiers to march and wear their ancestors medals there's been a huge boost. A girl from work drove home 100 miles with her 4 yr old so they could walk down her home street wearing her Grandad's medals. It's much more than just having a day off work, more like Veteran's Day in the US where it's remembrance and a celebration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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