April 25th is the anniversary of the landing of the joint
Australian and New Zealand forces (ANZACs) in the Dardanelles, at
Gallipoli, Turkey, in 1915. It was a disaster. No fault of the troops.
When The Anzac’s Went To War
In cities and towns, the booths appeared,
Recruiting young men, as the war clouds neared.
Pretty girls smiled and whole towns cheered
When the Anzac’s went to war.
The men were keen to play their part.
Each carried a photo next to his heart,
But the campaign was flawed from the very start,
When the Anzac’s went to war.
They were off-loaded in the wrong place
Unaware of the resistance they would face.
The whole affair was a bloody disgrace,
When the Anzac’s went to war.
Their arrival was expected by the other side.
Scores of bodies bobbed on the tide.
In the end, many thousands died,
When the Anzac’s went to war.
When the magnitude of the folly dawned
One wonders why they were never warned
Pretty girls cried and whole towns mourned
When the Anzac’s went to war.
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© J Cosmo Newbery 2013
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It is, to me, always a day filled with sadness. It's a very special day, our ANZAC Day.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wonderfully emotive poem, Cosmo.
Well, it is sad. Dones any other country have a public holiday for a military folly. Probably the French, I guess.
DeleteI do not like Anzac Day...it is too sad...I am always glad when it is over!
DeleteI didn't know...such a moving poem/story..
ReplyDeleteoh wow...that sounds like a cluster from the start...and to think of all the lives lost...and those pictures by their hearts...
ReplyDeleteBrought tears to my eyes
ReplyDeleteSo sad, such pointless loss of life, and so wonderfully written. Wowzers, kiddo!
ReplyDeleteTrue. I am never quite certain why we 'celebrate' this debacle. Mourn for the lives thrown away seems much more appropriate. I agree with Lee, it has always seemed a very sad day to me.
ReplyDeleteInteresting and admirable for your country and her people to remember such a defeat - would be a good lesson for America which only seems to glorify both victories and defeats and to vilify everyone else without holding her own actions accountable - well i suppose we are an empire even if in decline ...
ReplyDeleteDreadful event well recalled. So very sadly!
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DeletePeace and joy!
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What a moving piece. Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteSOrry, my thumb hit send. Just wanted to say that this reminds me so much of my father's story of Normandy on D-day. It was his 19th birthday. What a way to celebrate. He literally had his butt shot off. War is such a miserable state of affairs.
DeleteSo moving. And so true of all wars - they are indeed folly!
ReplyDeleteSigh. That's all I can do.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful rhyming and very touching
ReplyDeleteI like your refreshing style of telling. Nice one!
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Sad story of the chaos that is war. So many hearts lost leaving remaining hearts broken.
ReplyDeleteMoving and meaningful words - thank you.
Anna
Very moving poem. In any war either one side or the other is Anzac.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about this day - such a sadness told in your words.
ReplyDeleteoften our troops pay for political follies...so much for the brave souls!
ReplyDeleteVery moving, indeed!
ReplyDelete