ANZAC Day, Bannockburn

For the Fallen

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

Today it was Anzac Day, New Zealands day of remembrance. We usually gather in Cathedral Square for the Dawn Service but this year things haven?t worked out this way and we find ourselves in Cromwell. As there is no Dawn Service in the area we head off to Bannockburn, a very small rural community, for there 9am service.
We arrive to find a group of about 200 people, a huge group for such a small community, gathered at the local War Memorial. Its a different service than we are used to, a lot more directed at the local community than the Christchurch one is, quite understandable. There was a very poignant moment when they named all the local people that made the ultimate sacrifice for King and Country, they were....

World War 1

J. Crabbe
A.W. Cooper
G.B. Cooper
J.W. Gibson
W.S. Murray
S. Smith
R.S. Smith

World War 2

C.J. Campbell
A.J. Fraser
J.N. Jocelyn
J.F. Lynn

These men made the ultimate sacrifice and this should never be forgotten...

It got me thinking......

Could the youth of today be relied to do what these young men and many many more did and protect their country in a time of conflict?
I think not, but I truly hope we never again have to find out.............