C15A hits pedestrians in Melbourne ANZAC Day march

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Albury March
We had a dozen or so Jeeps all loaded with diggers unable to march, but not wanting to miss out on their big day. All vehicles followed on after the 4 horses which lead the parade. so no marches in danger of being run over. Embarrassingly we had a jeep starter motor jam at the start, pushed out of the way, passegers squeezed in to another vehicle in quick time.
Kitty Hawk impressed with the victory roll overhead

Wodonga March
the vehicles were scattered through the Parade, this may have been because of too many organisers, WE do not have a say in this.

I hope the media understands that the vehicles invovled in the parade do so only as a means of helping Diggers participate in the March, it is OUR way of saying thank you. It is not a show & Shine for the vehicles owners benefit, in fact we had some jeeps pull out of the Wodonga parade last year because the seats wereempty.

My thoughts are with both the injured marchers and the driver.

On a brighter note at the Dawn Service.
As the bugle played Last Post, the kookabuura's started their own early morning song, it was a terrfifc moment.

Rich.

[lynx42]

This is good news about the Ceylonise diggers. From Australian Associated Press. today.

Ceylon soldiers to march next Anzac DayAAP
April 26, 2010, 7:27 am


The Ceylon ex-Servicemen's Association of Australia will march again next Anzac Day, undeterred by a horrific accident that left six members injured after a truck ploughed into them at Sunday's parade, the group's president says.

Two Sri Lankan war veterans were seriously injured when a vintage military truck driven by a 64-year-old lurched out of control and struck them from behind, opposite the Arts Centre on St Kilda Road about 12.30pm (AEST) on Sunday.

The two men who were originally listed as critical are now in a stable condition.

Four other servicemen who were hit were also taken to hospital, along with the truck's shaken driver and a man on the back of the truck.

The men were all aged in their 70s, 80s and 90s.

Arden Perkins, the president of the Ceylon Ex-Servicemen's Association of Australia, said he was relieved the incident had not been worse.

He said those caught up in the incident were thankful for the people who came to the injured soldiers' aid.

"There's no blame to anybody and we'll all march again next year," Mr Perkins told AAP.

He said two injured members, Kenny Fernando and Ken Pietersz, had been released from hospital.

But Lionel Daniels, Anton Ludowyke, Maurice Gibson and Reg Oorloof remain in hospital, he said.

Mr Ludowyke had a chipped hip and Mr Gibson suffered injuries to his stomach. Both are recovering in the Royal Melbourne Hospital, he said.

Mr Oorloof, a former navy diver, suffered crushed ribs and head injuries from falling under the truck.

He remains in The Alfred hospital, Mr Perkins said.

"He'll survive, he's a navy diver, he's a very fit man," Mr Perkins said.

He said the Ceylon Ex-Servicemen's Association had been marching in the Anzac Day parade for 33 years.

Soldiers from Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka, fought with the Anzacs at Gallipoli.

"There's a lot of history there so that's why we take Anzac Day so seriously," Mr Perkins said.

Regards Rick