Wednesday, April 25, 2012

ANZAC DAY

There was a Dawn Service in Whangarei Town Centre but I elected to go to the 10.30 a.m. service here in Kamo - an easy stroll from home.

It was held in the Kamo War Memorial Hall and a lot of thought had, obviously, gone into its planning.  One gentleman had been to Belgium last year to visit the War Graves and it was very moving hearing about his experiences with slides of the Graves playing in the background.

We heard the story of the penning of "In Flanders Fields" which was read out.

In Flanders Fields by John McCrae - May 1915
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

                                        On the walk to the service - the street next to ours
                                       Kamo main street
                                        The old oaks next to the hall
                                       This lovely house is next to the hall

 On my walk back home taken from the same spot as the one on my way to the hall.

8 comments:

  1. This reminds me of the remembrance day services, in Lingfield, by the pond.

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  2. Yes, I had been thinking of them anyway as I have just sent the Order for the Memorial Service for those killed in the school bombing to Lingfield. I had a phone call a couple of nights ago to say it will go to the new Primary School which is opposite our old house and has the shield that is on the front of the Memorial Service

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    1. Good, you found it. I'm glad it's been given a permanent home; especially as it seems to be the only one!.

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  3. Our Menmorial Day comes up at the end of May. As we have been engaged in so many horrible wars that never seem to end, it is especially poignant.

    It was nice seeing the pictures of your town.

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  4. First year in many we didn't attend dawn parade. Love the old oaks!
    http://www.thebarefootcrofter.com/
    I thought of you when I read this ladies blog today ((HUGS))
    Love Leanne

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  5. That is such a poignant poem Sue. Thank you for taking us on that lovely walk around Kamo.

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  6. Susan, I always find our Remembrance Day service unutterably moving and when we're in France in the summer there are also commemorations of their liberation from occupation. thank you for sharing your Anzac Day memorial service. You might appreciate the post I wrote for Armistice Day last year.
    http://perpetually-in-transit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/they-shall-grow-not-old.html

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