We will remember them

Today I was ironing my son’s shirt in preparation for ANZAC Day tomorrow and he (almost 6 yrs old) asked where we were going in the morning. I keenly told him about the dawn service and what the whole day was about. He summed it up quite well when he said ‘we remember that soldiers do a good job and we say thank you to them’. I was so proud that he was excited about it and had to have a giggle when he ran off to tell his 3 yr old brother about thanking the soldiers.

Later on in the day, I was browsing through Facebook (surprising, I know) and I came across something that made me (temporarily) speechless.

We all know that past and present serving members proudly wear the medals they have been awarded on their left breast and that family members of deceased soldiers can honour their memory by wearing their medals on their right. But did you know there are some army wives who actually wear replicas of their living husband’s medals? I know, right? At first I just shook my head at their stupidity but then as I thought about it more, I became angry at their disrespect. Our past and present serving members have done the hard yards to earn their medals. And while I don’t disagree that staying home while your husband deploys isn’t easy, it is NOTHING compared to what they go/have gone through.  I also wonder if it isn’t also a bit of a bragging rights ‘my husband has more gongs than yours’ thing. Which, in my opinion, is also idiotic :-/

I think these women would do well to be reminded of my son’s words. ANZAC Day is about thanking the soldiers. It is not about us wives!

And on that note I encourage everyone who is physically able to, to brave the chill and get out of bed early tomorrow and pay your respects to our fallen at your local dawn service. For all the sacrifices our past and current service men and women have made, the very least we can do is remember them for one day every year.

So get your butts out of bed in the morning. And say thank you to the soldiers who ‘do a good job’ J.

Until next time,

C.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

                                                            Laurence Binyon