ANZAC Day

[chairmanyang]

It is ANZAC Day, the day us Aussies and Kiwis remember those who have passed and those who served in the wars we are dragged into by Nefarious men. told through the eyes of my Great-Grandfather Lt Col Alfred Parker he was only a boy of 18 summers when he was sent to the trenches at Gallipoli. He was one of the lucky ones who made it home....many other did not.



ANZAC Day

My name is Lt Col Alfred Parker
I landed on the beachhead of Suvla in 1915
with the first division of the Royal Australian Armed Forces
forever will that day be etched into my mind
The pale white and faded brown cliff face loomed over us
like a fortified castle wall
some how by the grace of god we made it up
only to be met by Johnny Turk and his Machine guns
we were forced to dig in
All the while bullets, shells and all manner of chaos
burst around our ears
we were barely old enough to be away from our mothers
barely old enough to drink our first pint
yet old enough to bare witness to some of the most horrific atrocities
you will never know...thankfully,
the way your stomach turns when the man standing beside you,
your mate....is cut down like nothing his blood splatted across your face
and the unimaginable horror of the sound off his last breaths
choking on blood and bile,
forever I am haunted by the bloodied dreams
of the sounds of boys screaming in utter agony
or worse....choking on poisonous gas
and when I got home all I could do is wonder why
Why so many died when I survived
My old eyes have seen much
and before they close for the last time
let my story reach your ears
so you will always know the bitter taste left by
men who proclaim
It is glorious to die for your country.

[Steppy]

This puts a whole different view of ANZAC day for me. Only a man who has lived through such horror knows what this day means. Thank you for sharing such an insight.

[lillypilly]

Thankyou very much for this
Anzac parades in New Zealand and Australia are getting bigger every year

[Chelle]

Survivors guilt is hard. Sometimes it is hard to feel like a war was justified with all the loss of life. Other times you can meet those you saved and maybe it gives it all a point.

[miharu]

I think no matter one's nationality or the specific battle thought of, we should all be reminded of the past lest we doom to repeat it. Thank you for providing me with the reminder today.

Congratulations on your Spotlight!

[rupertpupkin]

Super write and most deserving of a spotlight. Well done with this.