Anzac Day

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

To our friends Downunder shortly to be waking, I just want to wish you the best for a glorious Anzac Day! Please post your tales and photos of this unique celebration!

[Scrivo18]

Hi Guys

I have just returned the Jeep and Halftrack to the shed after giving some local diggers a ride in the track for the Kerang Parade.
It was especially rewarding this year as an ex employee and very dear friend rode in the halftrack. Maybe have photos latter can not find the camera.
Some of the local Aero club also did two fly by's.

Latter today there is to be a book launched detailing the Districts involvement in the wars in RAAF service, so this years march was well attended.

It is trying to rain which would be a wonderfull thing for this district, but it stayed away for the parade and the service.

Lest we forget.

Tim Scriven

[Mike Kelly]

The Melbourne march is currently on TV as I type this message ..been going for 4 hours .. seems to be a noticeable less restored military vehicles in the march this year , more old 20's vintage cars and 1960's Mustangs and RR cars carrying veterans . But I spotted a well known C8AX CMP and a few jeeps .

I drove my Jeep in the march from 1979 to 83 .. I was lucky to be allocated the WW1 Australian Flying Corps... amazing old chaps .. One fella I had in my Jeep was a pilot who flew RE8 aircraft over the WW1 battle fields. The casualty rate was appalling for those WW1 aircrew guys.

[Rob Beale]

The Dawn service was awesome as ever, in our town of 30,000 souls.
The C8AX didn't want to start for the Civic parade at 9:30 am: - it probably shares my view that Dawn is the best time to commemorate ANZAC Day!

After lunch I watched a fascinating documentary on TV on the LRDG featuring none other than our MLU colleague Kuno. If you get the opportunity, it is well worth getting a copy. Will it be for sale Kuno?

I was unaware of the original footage they showed of the early patrols in WB Chevs. I wish Peter Jackson would use his magic to restore the film, and make a movie of the LRDG!

There's a family conference tonight to discuss a trip to Gallipolli - my wife's great uncle is buried on the heights of Chunuk Bair, killed on 8 August 1915.
Now if I can squeeze in a side trip to Beltring for Canada Day.....

Rob

[Mike Kelly]

pics from this mornings march in Melbourne.. these pics are doing the rounds of the VMVC members on the net.

The Russian GAZ has a very interesting history. It was captured by Aust. troops during the Korean war , shipped here for evaluation and disposed of . A VMVC member spotted it for sale in the late 70's . He approached the Russian consulate in melbourne for a manual..one duly arrived , in Russian of course ..but on microfilm !

Mike

[Mike Kelly]

...............In order to protect the innocent and the guilty..I have not included pics of people e.g. club members.

[Mike Kelly]

This is a genuine ex army land cruiser ..used by NORFORCE I believe. I wonder if the diggers knew they were riding in an 'enemy' car.

[hrpearce]

The Batlow march is at 15:00 so the Tumbarumba pipe band can lead their march and then regroup to lead the Batlow march. The boys marched with their school groups.

[hrpearce]

This was the first wet ANZAC march I have attended, the crowd was about half of normal numbers. With th rain and icey wind the guard still stood perfectly still and refused the comfort of having umbrellars held over them.
( I did inform parens that I was taking pictures for MLU ).

[Bob McNeill]

Dawn service in Orange, big crowd, lots of young people some still in PJ,s. Onto Millthorpe for a 7.30 ceremony, then Carcour, Mandurama, then Lyndhurst, different school kids, each town has a few vets, But the band plays on, after lunch the band goes to Woodstock near Cowra it is that towns last march. Must give the pipe band a rap they have been doing this circuit since 1956 which now includes Neville the sunday before, Great job. Two vehicles this year.

[Max Hedges]

Anzac Day in Yass was well attended. The march was led by our military vehicles carrying WWII diggers and a pipe band then the marchers consisting of the rest of the diggers from the local area, the local schools were well attended, which is good too see, a good roll up of army cadets attended as well. The guest speaker was a New Zealander who has served in the NZ army as well as the
Australian army bringing the true meaning of ANZAC to Yass.

On the 24th they had a service at the RSL retirement home where my father resides and we had 3 vehicles on display for them. We had the carrier at the home as well as the march and when you get the carrier out on the open road they handle a lot better.

Max

[John Stokes]

Hi All Anzac Day at Lilydale memorial was a huge turn out and a beatiful service.The Girls woke early and the whole family went off to the service.I was thinking i would offer the blitz as a parade vehicle next year as it should be completed enough to participate in special events. John Stokes

[Euan McDonald]

With all the family loaded into the CGT we headed off to the Melbourne dawn service and then the march. The GT wasn't registered for the march but did take part in the drive through at the end of the march. Pic of Len Schutt's
C8ax and my GT.

[Dinty]

G'day All, Our Anzac day parade/service was well attended, crowds appear to be getting bigger every year. I had all of my Land Rovers out (7), in all 13 veterans rode in them, my 2 grandsons rode in one (Mum was a driver) they were wearing my late fathers medals Royal Engineers (UK) served in Nth Africa and Italy, here is a link to the video clip albeit a tad shakey after running approx 600+ yards to get to this point before the vehicles, the weather this year was perfect, it had rained the previous 2 years anyway cheers Dennis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72S13O_j3KI

[Rusty]

ANZAC Day Canberra 2009
This year the Canberra parade organizers allowed ex-military vehicles to carry veterans for the first time. A mate took along my jeep and I drove my freshly restored series 2A Landrover or Skippy our New Zealander mates. The day was very cold but the rain held at bay for the parade and service, crowds were down but one of the sad things for me was the announcers advising that certain groups ranks had thinned so far that this would be the last year they would present their banner.

[Rusty]

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