Dawn Services

[LaughingKookaburra]

Morphett Vale service opposite the Sports complex. What they have done there over the past 5 years is nothing short of sensational. Used to be a haven for vandalism but over the past 4-5 years no one has vandalised it (From what I have seen) and nor would they want to. I will be there then going for a long drive to Renmark.

[scoob]

I will be going to the dawn service at the Australian War Memorial in London.

Might see ya there cennal.... Hyde Park corner - this year it is at the NZ war Memorial - opposite aussie one... Starts a 5am - so thats the 4.04am night bus for me... Looking forward to it tho!

[Dogwatcher]

Went to the one at Elizabeth RSL. Nice service.
About 500 people.

Good service except for the singing of God Save The Queen.

[zipzap]

My parents are in Villiers Bretonneux today for the 90th anniversary service. They've been planning the trip for years - my mum has been researching a great uncle who fought and lost his life there. I have copies of many of the letters he sent back home, they make for amazing reading. I usually share them with my students at this time of year - honestly you can hear a pin drop when they look at the envelope marked 'Deceased' which contains a letter he wrote to his sister which she received obviously soon after he had been killed.

[Thiele]

Went to the Brighton Service there were about 4,000 there

[Dogwatcher]

Zip Zap, do you have these letters scanned? They'd be amazing reading.
I was once a fan of going to Gallipoli for Anzac Day, but now, I'd love to go to the Western Front towns like Amiens and 'Wipers'.
I'd love to hear your parents' thoughts on the service there.

Also - are there services held anywhere in PNG?

[smac]

Went to my first service at an RSL this morning, a lot more intimate than the one in the city and hanging about for a while afterwards allows the chance to speak to a few diggers when they are at their most reflective.

Thanks to them all.

[smac]

Zipper - I would have loved to be a student of yours (and more importantly, would love my kids to be in your class). From those letters, to that phun program you pointed out in the IT forum... What a great learning environment - kudos to you.

[dinglinga]

went to the MorphettVale service .. very well done, massive crowd another good thing not to see was parking inspectors, plenty of cars parking on yellow lines ... maybe the council have a heart after all

[brod]

My knee will be the only thing that holds me back from heading to the Salisbury dawn service. Hopefully a day of rest today will see me okay for the morning.

Well it did. No dawn service this year, ah well Little brod will bigger next year and can make the trip with me.

[evans01]

went to dawn service in brissy, took the kids its an amazing touching experience and one i will never forget...

lest we forget.....

[zipzap]

Zipper - I would have loved to be a student of yours (and more importantly, would love my kids to be in your class). From those letters, to that phun program you pointed out in the IT forum... What a great learning environment - kudos to you.

Thanks for those nice comments - made me feel positive about what I do. But then today I've been marking books all day and the positivity has evaporated!

Zip Zap, do you have these letters scanned? They'd be amazing reading.

I have a folder of photocopies (at work unfortunately) - my mum has the originals. I've been bugging her to publish them in some way as they are fascinating. I've always been a little cynical about the Aussies who head to Gallipoli etc every year thinking it was like a drunken Kontiki tour, but maybe cos my folks did it this year (and knowing the reasons why they did it) I have a new appreciation. Wow, the Gallipoli service today looked incredible - I got goosebumps the way they lit up the shoreline before dawn.

went to dawn service in brissy, took the kids its an amazing touching experience and one i will never forget...

I'm sooo resisting the urge to add a * here but it would be totally inappropriate

[cennals05]

Just got to work after the service over here in London. A good turn out and they even stopped the traffic around Hyde Park Corner for the 2 minutes silence.

It was also good to see the choir was made up of students from St Peters and Wilderness.

[Dirko]

Good service at Colonel Light Gardens.

The buggler did a great job on the last post...made me shed a tear...

Next year I will march in the HMAS Sydney group, as my Uncle Jimmy lost his life
on the boat, and my mum has his medals...

RIP Uncle Jimmy, Auntie Vie & Pa...

Lest we forget...

P.S Well done CLG RSL, great Breaky, good beer and lovely warm toddy !!

[evans01]

Zipper - I would have loved to be a student of yours (and more importantly, would love my kids to be in your class). From those letters, to that phun program you pointed out in the IT forum... What a great learning environment - kudos to you.

Thanks for those nice comments - made me feel positive about what I do. But then today I've been marking books all day and the positivity has evaporated!

Zip Zap, do you have these letters scanned? They'd be amazing reading.

I have a folder of photocopies (at work unfortunately) - my mum has the originals. I've been bugging her to publish them in some way as they are fascinating. I've always been a little cynical about the Aussies who head to Gallipoli etc every year thinking it was like a drunken Kontiki tour, but maybe cos my folks did it this year (and knowing the reasons why they did it) I have a new appreciation. Wow, the Gallipoli service today looked incredible - I got goosebumps the way they lit up the shoreline before dawn.

went to dawn service in brissy, took the kids its an amazing touching experience and one i will never forget...

I'm sooo resisting the urge to add a * here but it would be totally inappropriate

zip zap....i live in brissy...

[TroyGFC]

I headed down to the Marion RSL at sparrows fart for the Dawn Service. I was quiet a moving occasion, I felt sorry for the army guys who remained still as statues for the whole service I am sure they must of had sore feet by end of service.

After the service went inside RSL for a gun fire breakfast (bacon,sausages,mash potato, coffee with a dash or 2 of bundy-great value at $5 per person!!).

Later on after a power nap back home headed in town to the Union Hotel for the street party. Heaps of people there, took note that the navy females looked the hottest in their sailor suits!! Only thing wrong was where has the two up mats gone??

Next year I think might head down Brighton Jetty at Dawn then Brighton RSL (has it moved to bowling club behind Foodland yet?). And if awake go to March as still never been.

If anyone ever gets a chance Sandikan is another touching experience. Sandikan is where the death march took place from. Only 6 POW's survived.

[Dogwatcher]

I would really like to do the Hellfire Pass service too.
I've been fortunate enough to interview a survivor of those harsh times on regular occasions.
A highly respected man in the community, he passed away this year.
Another link to that amazing past into our history books.

[carey18]

Have been going up to the Tee Tree Gully service for the last 4 years after going into the city before that. Find it a lot beter up at TTG and back at the RSL club is always fun. Now i just need to win my money back from two up!

[godoubleblues]

I would really like to do the Hellfire Pass service too.
I've been fortunate enough to interview a survivor of those harsh times on regular occasions.
A highly respected man in the community, he passed away this year.
Another link to that amazing past into our history books.

I am considering going to Hellfire Pass next year with a few ex army mates of mine
there was a bit of coverage of Hellfire Pass this year

[MagicKiwi]

The Last Post is haunting at that time of morning, beautiful. A natural amphitheatre for the dawn service at Prospect. Very moving.