FReeper Canteen ~ ANZAC Day, April 25th ~ 25 April 2024

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ The FReeper Canteen presents…. ~

ANZAC DAY, April 25th

Last Post - click

Come home! Come home! The last post is sounding
for you to hear. All good soldiers know very well there
is nothing to fear while they do what is right, and forget
all the worries they have met in their duties through the
year. A soldier cannot always be great, but he can be a
gentleman and he can be a right good pal to his comrades in
his squad. So all you soldiers listen to this - Deal fair by all
and you’ll never be amiss.

Canteen Mission Statement

Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies military
and the family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.

ANZAC War Memorial, Sydney, Australia

Anzac Day is commemorated by Australia and New Zealand on 25 April every year to remember members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who landed at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. Anzac Day is also observed in the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tonga. It is no longer observed as a national holiday in Samoa.

Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. The acronym ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, whose soldiers were known as Anzacs. The pride they took in that name endures to this day, and Anzac Day remains one of the most important national occasions of both Australia and New Zealand.

When war broke out in 1914, Australia had been a Federal Commonwealth for only thirteen years. In 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of an Allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula to open the way to the Black Sea for the Allied navies. The plan was to capture Istanbul, capital of the Ottoman Empire and an ally of Germany. The ANZAC force landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold strike to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stale-mate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915, the Allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. Over 8,000 Australian and 2,700 New Zealand soldiers died. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians and New Zealanders at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which they remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war.

Though the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives of capturing Istanbul and knocking Turkey out of the war, the Australian and New Zealand troops' actions during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as an "Anzac legend" became an important part of the national identity in both countries. This shaped the ways they viewed both their past and their future.

More ANZAC Day information

Australian poet Banjo Paterson wrote the words to "Waltzing Matilda" in January 1895 while staying at Dagworth Station, a sheep and cattle station near Winton in Central West Queensland owned by the Macpherson family. The words were written to a tune played on a zither or autoharp by 31‑year‑old Christina Macpherson, one of the family members at the station.

Waltzing Matilda - click

Gallipoli Guide

Lone Pine Memorial - Gallipoli

Auckland, New Zealand War Memorial Museum

Advance Australia Fair - click

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature’s gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history’s page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.

In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We’ll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who’ve come across the seas
We’ve boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.

In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

God Defend New Zealand - click

MAORI LYRICS

E Ihowä Atua,
O ngä iwi mätou rä
Äta whakarongona;
Me aroha noa
Kia hua ko te pai;
Kia tau tö atawhai;
Manaakitia mai
Aotearoa

ENGLISH LYRICS

God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.

Please remember that The Canteen is here to support
and entertain our troops and veterans and their families,
and is family friendly.

[radu]

Howdy, E.G.C. ((HUGZ))

Looks like Gizmo found a buncha smelly spots at Wichita Ridge yesterday. LOL

[E.G.C.]

Yep, Gizmo sure had a grand time finding all of those smelly places.

We have a risk for severe weather today. We'll see how things go.

We get a break tomorrow and then it ramps up again Saturday.

[naturalman1975]

No.

That is a very left-wing interpretation of why ANZAC Day is observed. And a viewpoint that very few in Australia or New Zealand would have expressed until, perhaps, the 1970s or so.

It may be difficult for Americans to understand given that the United States had to fight for its freedom from an oppressive British government in the 18th century, but Australia and New Zealand did not have the same negative experience of British rule that the United States did.

Australia and New Zealand gained independence and sovereignty as they wanted to gain it, at the time they wanted it. It was a gradual process that never involved significant antipathy to the United Kingdom.

ANZAC Day is important in Australia because it was the first time specially Australian troops went to war on any large scale level. It's that simple.

Was it a defeat? Yes, in the end it was. But it was a defeat that came within a context of wider victories. If the Gallipoli campaign had failed and the war had ultimately been lost, it's likely ANZAC Day wouldn't have much significance. But it became a symbol for the whole war in Australia.

It did not lead to Australians (or New Zealanders) coming to a realisation that we were sovereign nations for a few reasons. The first is that we weren't. We were self-governing in 1915, but we weren't sovereign nations until quite a long time after that. It's actually difficult to pin down when that happened because there's a number of contenders for that, but the earliest possible date, Australia could be considered sovereign is 1926 when it was agreed at the Imperial Conference in London that the 'Dominions' were no longer to be considered subservient to the British government, and it wasn't until 1930 an Australian government ever took a decision against the wishes of London. In 1931, the Statute of Westminster took effect in the United Kingdom, which gave Australia (and the other dominions) the power to act as sovereign nations, and it wasn't until 1941, that Australia actually did so for the first time - when it appointed its first ever Ambassador (to the United States) rather than just letting British diplomats represent Australia... that's the date I personally, would say, Australia became a sovereign nation, but some other historians would put it as late as 1986 - the point is, there was no moment that we just decided this was so, and Gallipoli had nothing to do with any of it. Australia remained proudly British for decades (separate Australian citizenship didn't exist until the late 1940s - we were British subjects until the early 1980s, and that only really changed then because Britain joined the European Economic Community (later the European Union) and Europe didn't want people from the wider Commonwealth becoming European citizens.

[radu]

I wish you and Gizmo - - and everyone else in the line of fire - - good luck. Maybe things won’t get too bad in your area.

[luvie]

I think we already have some skeeters. I have a place on my ankle......*skritchskritch*

Sorry you couldn’t get the trash burnt. You don’t get many nights that are the perfect temperature AND no wind. Guess you could just sit and breathe the fresh air.

I really thought about going out, but talked myself out of it. LOL!

[luvie]

Yikes. Some of that gets mighty close to my area!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Oh boy...the little planes are gonna like that...keep melting.

Now you have to rest your back for the museum.

The door, once moving, was set up really nicely when installed a year ago, and is easy to raise and lower by hand....BUT, another year of age and aches and pains cause new issues for the motions needed to get said door moving, either up or down. Knees are not happy reaching down to get it started up, and shoulders are not happy reaching on tiptoes to get it started down. LOL!! Getting old sucks at times.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, E...((HUGS))...looks like you might be having some “weather” issues, but beautiful skies. Gizmo sure had a wonderful time and lots of adventures...lots and lots of rolling around in different terrain, and water, and bushes.

You guys have a great Thursday.

[radu]

I imagine skeeters are out here, too, but I do know we have a gazillion mosquito hawks. I’ve never seen so many of them. EVER. I don’t know if they have periodic massive hatchings or what.

That pile of branches is one Hubby started piling up so they’ve been there a little while and I’ve added several the past year. It can wait a little longer but it WILL get burned this year. It’s behind the old house so it’s not like anyone can see it.

Too cool for sitting outside tonight. And I wouldn’t even if it was comfy. I’m still blowing my nose from the time I spent at the well house. LOL

[Kathy in Alaska]

Stay safe fron the severe weather!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, naturalman1975, for added some important history to/for the remembrance of ANZAC Day.

[radu]

Yes. We’re all waiting for the ice to BE GONE so the seaplanes can use the lake again. They’ve had to stop using it with skis since the ice has gotten too thin and we can’t see them well when they land on the dirt runway across the lake.

My back is calming down fairly well now. The awkward positions I have to get in to get to the filter set of muscle spasms and after mowing Monday, they set off easily. I’ll take it easy tomorrow so I’ll be good to go Friday.

I hear ya on the hassles of having to open and close garage door manually. If you’re young, it’s no big deal but we ain’t young ‘uns any more. LOL At least you don’t have to do it manually now and you’re good to go for tomorrow’s appointments.

[luvie]

You know, I’ve seen a bunch of the mosquito hawks, too. It’s been literally years since I noticed one, and now they seem to be all over. I just read that they don’t eat mosquitoes. Here I was thinking that they did. Oh, well.

Aaaaaand....I just checked the time. EEEEEEEEK! I guess I’d better go give the cats a bit more food, get Peaches back indoors and hit the pillows. See ya....mmmm.....Saturday? Have a good weekend!

[radu]

I see mosquito hawks every year but a few here and there. Not in the numbers they’re out this year. It’s insane.

A lot of people think they eat mosquitos, I guess because of the name. The real name is crane fly.

Maybe this is the year of the bug. We have a gazillion of everything, it seems. Now if we get a gazillion katydids this summer, I’ll be a happy camper. LOL

Yu must have found something really good to watch tonight. LOL This is late for you. Sleep late to make up for it!

Catch ya Saturday.

[left that other site]

I’m so glad you are finally getting that snow melted!

Blue is back on the road. Woo Hoo!

[luvie]

Howdy doooo, Early Birds!
Well, it's early to ME anyhow!
And yes, I shoulda gone to bed earlier. LOL!
Hope all y'all have a Thank-The-Troops Thursday!
It's petty warm but cloudy here.
Praying for rain!
(((hugs)))

[luvie]

Beautiful tribute to Anzac, Kathy! ❤️🌺

[ExTexasRedhead]

AMBUSHED: The FEROCIOUS FIGHT at LZ Albany | Battle of Ia Drang | George Forrest - American Veterans Center

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aitRjJAysCk

Comment below the video:

“What an excellent man. I was USMC in VietNam 65-66and landed in Quinhon by ship late May, early June ..infantry. This brave leader was in the same place, . 3 months later we moved to Chu-Ali. 50 miles north on an large ship that carried amphibious assault vehicles and Chulai, here we come. The camaraderie was excellent even when exhausted, and in battle. Now,I am an old man. However, Many times, I still visit VietNam in my mind and so thankful to God, He let me live. I am thankful this brave Colonel lived also. All young men. Boys really. Yes, Col. I am proud of you. Mike USMC. Autorifleman.”

[Kathy in Alaska]

WOOHOO...you and Blue are together again and back on the road!

[left that other site]

Yeah! Now if it could just get a little warmer...