Rob

Absolute top effort for the ANZAC day ceremony. Well done with the team who assisted you and gave the speeches. Good to see the Thai Army attend.
Good coverage of the ANZAC Cove ceremony.

I certainly recall your previous comments years ago as the so called administrator at Kanchanaburi or similar.

Your seem to not understand Australian Culture.

If you dont like the way Australians choose to celebrate ANZAC Day then by all means ask. BtW did you actually go to the service today perhaps somebody could have explained it easier than me at 0130 hrs today.

Lets change the way we celebrate and call it a wake. Traditional for Brits and Irish ?

From memory the last Brit that died in Udon that i knew and attended his service all the Poms went to the Pub after to have a beer. Funny eh.

trubrit wrote:

wazza wrote:Trubrit

Said to a friend a few weeks ago wonder if you will post this question again, as it appears every few years
Australians when they celebrate , tend to have formal and also the informal way.
edit
The pomp and ceremony of some occasions like ANZAC Day then tends to lead to a celebration with a BBQ, beer , and many sporting games are played in the afternoon, Im sure the Australian Ambassador at Kanchanaburi today would have taken his tie and jacket off and mingled with the 1000's that attend there. Its a standing joke all Australians say to him after the service, So where are the free government beers then. Perhaps the British Ambassador drove home in his escorted Rolls Royce ?

Basically in a nut shell, its a different character, different meanings, The pomp and ceremony of British pagentary doesn't fit the Australian way of life.

..

Im sure more qualified Australians might wish to add their 2 bobs worth.

Thanks for that Wazza. Don't remember I have posed the question before.However I must ask. I realise the Australian generally has a more casual approach to life in general than us Brits, strange that doesn't seem to have rubbed off on the Kiwi's though, but do you not see a contradiction between one minute standing heads lowered in remembrance, then immediately grabbing a beer and having a party. To me the two are totally incompatible . Yes your correct the NZ and UK ambassadors did depart immediately the service was over, not sure if it was in a Roll's though, whilst your guy knocked back a few , which added to my confusion .Guess the language is the only common denominator we share .
.Thanks to all that paid the ultimate price that we may be free to differ what ever day it may be .


Trubrit with all due respect I think you are making to much of the drinking directly after the Ceremonies across our Aussie nation and shores beyond. The simple explanation IMO is when I was growing up it was the ex servicemen in their thousands across Australia who were the ones who went for a drink with their armed services mates from different battalions directly after the march past. Every pub had a breakfast and a beer for the diggers and a game of two up. The public would join in and have a drink if room permitted in the bar. As those who have grown old and numbers dwindled at the marches, but for our Vietnam vets and closer wars, it is still a tradition today to have that breakfast and a beer after the remembrance ceremonies are completed. Exactly what happened at Robs bar today. Some choose not to drink and some do, that is one of the choices we are afforded due to the fighting spirit of our for fathers.

Trubrit

You are so far detached from this subject to be honest, in fact very insulting to say the only thing we have in common is the language. You are an embarrassment to all the other Poms , that us Australians call friends in Udon and surrounding provinces.

Yes we all gather around and play 2 up and have a beer or three, what of it? Your not going to understand what the day means to an Australian or a New Zealander because you are not part of the collective national Spirit that IS ANZAC. It's an almost sacred day. The sanctity of which is not going to be felt or recognised in anyway by an outsider. They can watch our ceremonies, be guests there, and say 'but we fought too! You were troops under our command'. Who left us to pull together on a rocky beach as two young nations and strive towards LIFE, NOT for the Crown, not for the Motherland, she was too busy ducking the Germans and staring at German invasion to take time out to help us. So we did it for the guy beside us. The genesis of true Mateship and the Australian way.

Who are you to tell us, A Nation of Convicts, Indigenous Australians , New Zealand settlers and the unconquered Maori, how to celebrate what is Our Day of Remembrance.

Barney wrote:Rob

Absolute top effort for the ANZAC day ceremony. Well done with the team who assisted you and gave the speeches. Good to see the Thai Army attend.
Good coverage of the ANZAC Cove ceremony.

Congratulations Rob,

I have something to be placed on the ANZAC Wall, Paramedics made a window sticker for their vehicles, will frame it for The Aussie Sports Bar

wazza wrote:I certainly recall your previous comments years ago as the so called administrator at Kanchanaburi or similar.

Your seem to not understand Australian Culture.

If you dont like the way Australians choose to celebrate ANZAC Day then by all means ask. BtW did you actually go to the service today perhaps somebody could have explained it easier than me at 0130 hrs today.

.

There are many cultures I don't understand including yours , that's why I raised the question in an effort too. It's not a question of not liking , it's simply so foreign to my traditional, maybe read "old fashioned" idea of remembrance that I have for years tried to get my head round it. BTW! No I didn't get to a service today, much to my regret ,I didn't feel up to the long drive to Kanchanaburi this year. It's the first time I have missed the dawn service in the Pass since it started, I will however come hell or high water make sure I attend the Armistice day one in November . Although last year was a very sad one being the first time there were no survivors or relatives present .The thing is, it's important that we all remember, not how we do .You with a glass in hand , me with my hat .Lest we forget.
Just noticed your last rant. totally uncalled for. You mentioned ex cons etc, not me .

TruBrit I assume that you have never spent an ANZAC Day in an Australian or New Zealand city of country town. So I'll enlighten and educate you.
We start the day with a dawn service. Sing a few Anglican hymns like, Abide With Me, read a few poems such as , In Flanders Fields and conclude with words from, From The Fallen and the sounds of the Last Post. About 130,000 Australians gathered at the War Memorial in Canberra from about 5:00am onward this morning for this ceremony NONE OF THEM WERE DRINKING ALCOHOL whilst commemorating and paying their respects to the fallen of 1915.
Usually after the ceremony has concluded people prepare for the ANZAC Day parade. This will also be a massive surprise to you but the parade is also an alcohol free event. Ex Service men and women parade to the war memorial either in the city or town and the public line the route (maybe having a cup of tea from the thermos - hope that ok?). The parade usually concludes at around 11:00am at which time the servicemen and women retire to the RSL club or local hotel for well earned refreshments.
We don't drink at the ceremony or at the parade but some may enjoy a beer or three with lunch and during the afternoon. It may not be this way at Kanchanaburi but the last time I looked at a map Kanchanaburi was not in Australia or New Zealand and to base your understanding of how Australians commemorate our dead by what you have observed in Kanchanaburi demonstrates your ignorance and lack of understanding.
ANZAC Day is also a public holiday in Australia and New Zealand so the afternoon might be spent at the races at Flemington, the football at the MCG, the rugby league in Sydney or at a two up school anywhere in Australia. This is how we choose to first commemorate and then celebrate the fact that we may have lost the battle but we did in fact win the war.

Not a rant at all Trubrit

When you suggested that alcohol was the common theme in your experience at 1 ANZAC location you have insulted all the returned service men and women, their families and extended families including my mothers family who lost loved ones in Poxier WW1, Hell Fire Pass and Vietnam.

Your ignorance of this matter is amazing as you claim to have had some formal role in Kanchanaburi years ago. You would have seen the 000's of Australian tourist who go there yearly and must have had some interaction perhaps.

BTW there was an ANZAC Day service in Udon this year conducted in Australian Language with English subtitles for you. Not far to go at really.

marjamlew wrote:TruBrit I assume that you have never spent an ANZAC Day in an Australian or New Zealand city of country town. So I'll enlighten and educate you.
We start the day with a dawn service. Sing a few Anglican hymns like, Abide With Me, read a few poems such as , In Flanders Fields and conclude with words from, From The Fallen and the sounds of the Last Post. About 130,000 Australians gathered at the War Memorial in Canberra from about 5:00am onward this morning for this ceremony NONE OF THEM WERE DRINKING ALCOHOL whilst commemorating and paying their respects to the fallen of 1915.
Usually after the ceremony has concluded people prepare for the ANZAC Day parade. This will also be a massive surprise to you but the parade is also an alcohol free event. Ex Service men and women parade to the war memorial either in the city or town and the public line the route (maybe having a cup of tea from the thermos - hope that ok?). The parade usually concludes at around 11:00am at which time the servicemen and women retire to the RSL club or local hotel for well earned refreshments.
We don't drink at the ceremony or at the parade but some may enjoy a beer or three with lunch and during the afternoon. It may not be this way at Kanchanaburi but the last time I looked at a map Kanchanaburi was not in Australia or New Zealand and to base your understanding of how Australians commemorate our dead by what you have observed in Kanchanaburi demonstrates your ignorance and lack of understanding.
ANZAC Day is also a public holiday in Australia and New Zealand so the afternoon might be spent at the races at Flemington, the football at the MCG, the rugby league in Sydney or at a two up school anywhere in Australia. This is how we choose to first commemorate and then celebrate the fact that we may have lost the battle but we did in fact win the war.

Thank you Marjamlew. despite your obvious sarcasm I appreciate your enlightening me. That is all I was seeking. I am neither ignorant nor lack understanding, that was the purpose of my question to learn. Unfortunately despite my advanced age I don't know everything but I am willing to learn. I was seeking the opinion of other Aussies as to what I was told by a member of your embassy. I had hoped to get that in a civilised manner but obviously that isn't part of your national character, but we got there in the end and I have learned a something more about your countrymen.haven't I ?

So how many years ago did this Australian Embassy interaction occurr Trubrit. At least 5-6;?

So why does your naive question appear every few years on ANZAC Day.

I replied many years ago on this same subject. Pleading Alzeimers or Dementia doesnt get you off the hook for the line you have cast.

Your a disgrace to the uniform you claimed to have worn by insulting the Diggers, and their families.

So how many years ago did this Australian Embassy interaction occurr Trubrit. At least 5-6;?

So why does your naive question appear every few years on ANZAC Day.

I replied many years ago on this same subject. Pleading Alzeimers or Dementia doesnt get you off the hook for the line you have cast.

Your a disgrace to the uniform you claimed to have worn by insulting the Diggers, and their families.

Your repeating yourself now Wazza. time for bed?

but today is a day of remembrance, it's not a day of drinking, it's a day of respect. we all do it in our own way. I give a prayer to the fallen, some raise a glass, a few years ago the few still remembered. now it's been turned into a Disneyland circus, selling tee-shirts, hats an beer condoms .up to you all how you do it..i gave a prayer and a wish that it never happens again.. my few bobs worth

I think it was great that the Australian Ambassador hung around after all the official duties were done with. It showed that the day meant something to him and wasn't just doing his job.
Trubrit you should possibly experience an Anzac day in Australia prior to forming an opinion of what it means to all of us Aussie's & Kiwi's.
If you want to learn or be enlightened don't make statements ask questions.

wazza wrote:So how many years ago did this Australian Embassy interaction occurr Trubrit. At least 5-6;?

So why does your naive question appear every few years on ANZAC Day.

I replied many years ago on this same subject. Pleading Alzeimers or Dementia doesnt get you off the hook for the line you have cast.

Your a disgrace to the uniform you claimed to have worn by insulting the Diggers, and their families.

wazza he's winding you up, leave it and let him embarrass himself. jesus leave it and just remember

Correct Dean, let him humiliate himself , notice no reply on facts , just his normal sarcasm.

trubrit wrote: Guess the language is the only common denominator we share .

............I had hoped to get that in a civilised manner but obviously that isn't part of your national character, but we got there in the end and I have learned a something more about your countrymen.haven't I ?

Two very silly statements, Val.

Tinged with I am not sure whether is bitterness, or envy.

Actually Val I seem to remember about 10 years ago you attended our Anzac Day Celebrations at Justin's Aussie Bar in Adunyaded Road. Wazza brought his BBQ and played cook for the day. I also remember you at the Bar enjoying a drink with the rest of us after the Ceremony, and even having a go at two up. The Day was topped off with you coming to the rescue of a young Damsel who was drunk and needed a lift home. You returned a short time later complaining she had Vomited in your Car There was a lesson to be learned on that Day too

Steady on chaps. I thought trubrit's first post was OK. Trubrit I think NZ's national day is as controversial as Australia's. There are always protests and some pushing and shoving at Waitangi. However it's not really called Invasion Day or White Invasion Day as you sometimes hear about Australia Day. NZ's national day might be better called Rip Off Day.

Different countries have different rituals and I think young people in most countries probably mark events in a more casual manner than older people. The world is changing ...

"Wonder if the poorly-read, largely white, nationalist drinkers and gamblers pause today to consider the horror that all mankind suffered."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/ar ... d=11438879

ANZAC Day tweets cost Aussie sports reporter his job. What an idiot thinking he could get away with tweeting that. He must have been wanting a career change.