Anzac Day 2013

[Bob McNeill]

Started early to make sure all was ready for the drive to the little town of Neville [ pop 100 ] in the central west NSW for their annual service. Clear skies last night meant a good frost greeted us, first for this Autumn. All three vehicles rolled on time for the 1 1/2 hour run. time for a cuppa on arrival, then formup for short march up the street, only hassle was a horse which didn,t like the Pipe Band and went home riderless, spured on by the flapping light horse gear. This year the Air Force Cadets, 1/19th Army Reserve. Canobalas Pipe Band almost out numbered the locals. Good day had by all. 5 vets this time. vehicles attending, Jeep, C15, F60l.

[Private_collector]

Take lots of photos, Bob!

Post em all when you can.

[Tim Lovelock]

Hi all,
Does anyone know if there is a vehicle display tomorrow at the ANZAC Day parade in Melbourne?
Where it is and a good time to visit it.
Cheers, Tim
I apologise, heading should read, ANZAC Day, Melbourne

[Keith Webb]

As I understand it (and I haven't watched the parade) vets are mostly taken in restored cars these days.

The Eltham dawn service had an excellent turnout, well over 1,000. I took my son Sam along and met up with Euan and family.

Here's a phone pic to give some idea of the crowd - and there were just as many the other way and back up a street behind.

In the Riverina the Wirraway and i believe Spitfire visited several ceremonies adding a wonderful dimension to the ceremony.

Tell us about your ANZAC Day experience this year.

[Stan Leschert]

Hope the day went great. Please post more photos of your day.

To my friends down under, TY.

[Keith Webb]

Looking forward to the memorial service.



Sam watching

[lynx42]

Good afternoon all,

Anzac Day 2013 saw a beautiful day at Paynesville and Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia.

At Paynesville approximately 300 marches and public enjoyed a lovely ceremony with the Anzac Address given by 2 students from the Bairnsdale Secondary College.

Three vehicles were in the parade. Roger Ross in his 1943 Ford GPW Jeep, Graeme Clark driving the 1940 Chev Staff Car and Geoff Cove driving my 1942 White Scout Car with me as passenger.

On to Bairnsdale we went where more than 700 people attended the Anzac Day March. Many, many school children swelled the ranks of the marchers.

Here the vehicles from Paynesville were joined by Daniel Leadoux driving his late father, Johns, 1947 Ford Blitz. (Yes that is right, 1947 a very, very late assembly), David Pettman in his 1944 Chev 1 1/2 ton Yankee Joe. Len Sanford in his 1978 Ford ambulance with wife Jane driving the 1944 Dodge WC. Alan Carpenter had Norm (?) driving the Mahindra Jeep whilst Alan drove his Dodge WC. A total of 9 vehicles in Bairnsdale.

A great lunch at the Bairnsdale RSL finished off a very lovely day.

Thanks to all of the vehicle drivers and owners for your support.

Regards Rick.

A malfunction with the camera saw no photos from this scribe but there were plenty taken and I will add some as they come to hand.

[Keith Webb]

Good to hear, Rick. It is heartening to hear of the increased numbers of people marking this day with the respect our fallen deserve.

The Temora Aviation Museum flew the Spitfire, Wirraway and Tiger Moth over several remembrance services in the Riverina this morning, and Al Arthur flew his P40 over Albury. A group of Antique Aeroplane members formed a formation and flew over Kyneton as a mark of respect.

There is more on this subject in this thread.

[Bob McNeill]

Big day , dawn service this morning in Orange, biggest crowd for a long time, frosty but clear. Dash home for brekky and fire up the blitz to warm it up, didn,t help as the windscreen iced up when we hit the fog 4kl,s out. rollout at 6.45 and head for Millthorpe for a 7.30 start, each year the marchers drop off but have noticed several Afganastan vets now attending. Leave the locals and head towards Carcour, the band always beat us in their moderns but since we act as tailend charlie they rarely have to wait. A short stroll from the school to the Memorial, leaving us to block the traffic on the old bridge, Then it,s off to Mandurama and again the number of old vets is dropping, only 6 from there this year, the schools all try hard with as many kids as they can muster, Mandurama has only got 19 pupils, all high School kids are bused out to Blayney. On to Lyndhurst, last stop for us although the band go on to Woodstock. After the service the local ladies put on a cuppa and cake after which for us it,s time to make tracks up over the Gap Rd [ dirt but 13K,s shorter ] thru Forest Reefs and in 1 1/4 hrs we are home for a late lunch while the Jeep has a bit further to go.

[Tim Lovelock]

Thanks Kieth,
We were blessed with beautiful weather in Melbourne and what appeared to be a good turnout.
To answer my own question and confirm your response Kieth, heavy vehicles are banned. A friend of mine in the Navy who led the colour party in Foster also confirmed this as well. Guessing it is a statewide thing following the unfortunate incident a couple of years ago.
The remnant vehicles of interest were just a couple of Landrovers and jeeps and a small display by the Light Horse & Field Artillery Museum of Nar Nar Goon who brought along some horses and a horse drawn ambulance with soldiers and nurses in period costumes.
Other vehicles used in the parade seemed to be predominantly Mustangs and this lovely Mercedes....
I'm glad the service personell and thier families had great weather for this special day.
Cheers Tim

[hrpearce]

Batlow's march starts at 15:00 lead by the Tumbarumba pipe band. The crowd was a little bigger this year and the central school had more students atending this year.
Next year my blitz will be parked becide the gun in memorial park.

[lynx42]

Some photos have turned up already.

Where we parked for lunch, outside the Bairnsdale RSL.

[Little Jo]

Hi Guys

I drove my Jeep to Adelaide again and took part in the Anzac Day March. I was proud to again carry some Rats of Tobruk veterans who could no longer march. Two of the guys were 92 years of age and still a load of laughs. One of the veterans "Chappie" Chapman drove a Jeep in WW2 and never thought he would get to ride in one again. After the march I took a photo of him behind the wheel and will post the photos to him as a memory of the day.

Cheers

Tony

[Private_collector]

A pictire says 1000 words, so i'll keep mine to a minimum. Sufice to say that the Dawn Ceremony was larger crowd than last year. The Last Post was recorded this year, not live, so it was perfect. All the attached images are courtesy of my son, who took over photographic duties this year instead of marching. My dear wife marched with me this time.


Larger crowd of spectators at the parade, a trend which seems to be continuing over last 7 years. unfortunately not nearly as many particapants under the "We March To Remember Them" banner. Can't quite explain why, but it's certainly clear that is the case.

More to follow...

[Keith Webb]

I can't confirm this Tim, but hopefully someone more in the 'know' can.

I couldn't help but notice the irony of a German car of the era carrying our veterans.



BTW... it's I before E except after 'C' and sometimes 'K' as in Keith...

Originally Posted by Tim Lovelock

Thanks Kieth,
We were blessed with beautiful weather in Melbourne and what appeared to be a good turnout.
To answer my own question and confirm your response Kieth, heavy vehicles are banned. A friend of mine in the Navy who led the colour party in Foster also confirmed this as well. Guessing it is a statewide thing following the unfortunate incident a couple of years ago.
The remnant vehicles of interest were just a couple of Landrovers and jeeps and a small display by the Light Horse & Field Artillery Museum of Nar Nar Goon who brought along some horses and a horse drawn ambulance with soldiers and nurses in period costumes.
Other vehicles used in the parade seemed to be predominantly Mustangs and this lovely Mercedes....
I'm glad the service personell and thier families had great weather for this special day.
Cheers Tim

[Private_collector]

More random photos.


More to follow

[Private_collector]

[Private_collector]

Remember this chap from last years Parade photos? If not, may I introduce Mr Stanley Fox, RM. He is a veteran of the D-Day landings, and was amongst the first wave of British troops ashore. Stan joined-up the day his mother was killed in an air-raid. He said he wanted to get as many Germans as he could, as payback. I believe he repayed the debt and then some! He didn't require a wheeelchair last year, and doesn't look to be very well this time around. Breaks my heart to see these dear old fellas getting old.


On the way home we stopped at services, and I saw this sign outside of a (closed) fruit shop. Couldn't resist taking this photo. Maybe they should have put this one away, on ANZAC Day!

[jack neville]

I drove the Fordson up from Geelong zooming along at a nice 90kph with my nice big 10.50 tyres, (with a little bit of throttle left as well).

I carried a load of five Ceylonese gentlemen. Three of them were amongst those run over by the Blitz in 2010. Their spirits belied what happened that day and they had a ball enjoying the crowds and acknowledging the waves all along the route. The fallout of that accident is a matter for arguing elsewhere, however given that the bigger trucks have been banned as a result and only jeeps, land rovers and the like permitted I asked these fellows that they thought would have happened if they had been run over by a jeep. Each replied they thought they would be dead. "There was enough room under a truck for us to fit" was the feeling. "The little vehicles would have squashed us."

They were a fine bunch so spend a short time with. One of them was 93 and leapt into the back of my truck like a mountain goat. Must breed them tough in Ceylon.

[Keith Webb]

Love the JAP pumpkin pic!

I gave one of the RAAF veterans a call today to wish him all the best.

[Little Jo]

Hi guys

Here are a few more photos.

Cheers

Tony

[Ganmain Tony]

Have only just returned home from Griffith service.

Now jumping in car to take Grandfather back to Batemans Bay.

Both the dawn and day services bigger than ever and a wonderful, perfect day.

[Max Hedges]

Service at Linton on 24th, they have a service the day before for the residents

[Tim Lovelock]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

I can't confirm this Tim, but hopefully someone more in the 'know' can.

I couldn't help but notice the irony of a German car of the era carrying our veterans.



BTW... it's I before E except after 'C' and sometimes 'K' as in Keith...

The thought had crossed 'my' mind, life is full of irony!!

[Private_collector]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

I couldn't help but notice the irony of a German car of the era carrying our veterans..

That raised my eyebrows too. Still, as Basil Fawlty said, "Forgive and forget.......god knows how though, b------s!"

All said in jest, of course. Assuming the Merc is what I think it is, it would easily pay for my early retirement. If only!