What is ANZAC Day? (General)

by peteressex , Friday, April 15, 2011, 09:33 (4975 days ago) @ ritpetite

I was in an RSL in Australia not long ago when suddenly everybody, young and old, without exception, stopped and stood for the Last Post. The bar stopped serving. Waitresses stood right where they were. Nobody played the fruit machines. The bowls match outside was halted. The whole place was silent and still.

At first I thought it was surreal, but then I was impressed, quite moved, and rather ashamed that except on Remembrance Sunday (if then) we Poms at large take relatively little thought for war dead.

It ought to be sobering that emigrants from the Forest and elsewhere are more regularly commemorated on the other side of the world than on their old home patch.