ANZAC Day letter to the editor
Came across this from the Salavation Army secretary. Very poignant and something we can all do to make sure the spirit stays alive.
Where can young people find their place in the ANZAC tradition?
While it may be harder for young people to relate to the individual experience of the veterans and to know their names and battles they fought, every Australian can embody the qualities of the ANZAC spirit.
Courage, loyalty, compassion, mateship, endurance – the ANZAC spirit is something that lives on long after the battles are fought.
Whether it is helping communities after a natural disaster, supporting people at risk of homelessness, or providing a hand up to those affected by a family tragedy - every Australian, young or old, can uphold the spirit of the ANZACs.
So let us honour our soldiers in the best way possible by remembering the sacrifices they’ve made and embodying the ANZAC spirit in everything that we do.
Let us be a voice for those suffering injustice or hardship.
And let us transform Australia one life at a time, giving hope where it’s needed most.
Lieutenant Colonel Neil Venables
Secretary of Communications
The Salvation Army
I am very proud of the ANZACS, especially General Sir John Monash. One of my heroes, John Monash was born in Melbourne on 27 June 1865, to a family of Prussian Jewish origin.
After an education at Scotch College and the University of Melbourne, studying law, arts and engineering, he became interested in the Australian military, and began his service career in 1887. He joined Melbourne University's Metropolitan Brigade of the Garrison Artillery, and until the outbreak of war in 1914, he worked at learning the skills of artillery and engineering, as well as teaching and designing. By 1914, he was in command of the AIF's 4th Brigade in Egypt, where, like most Australian troops, he experienced the disastrous effects of bad organisation and planning, and poor command decisions. It was to be in France in 1918 that Monash would truly make his mark.
After moving to the Western Front in 1916, Monash was promoted to Major General and took command of the 3rd Division. In the years leading to 1918, he and his troops were involved in many confrontations, including the Battles of Messines, the third battle of Ypres, and Polygon Wood, with some successes.