Anzac Day

ANZAC (Australian and NZ Army Corp) - this morning Doug & I went out to the service at Temuka.  We farmed close to the town of Temuka, and as a child/teenager every Anzac Day I would go with my parents & sister to the service, then back to the RSA (Returned Servicemen Association) rooms for food and drinks.  It became an all day affair.  My Dad was a returned servicemen from the 2nd World War.
Of course back then the white crosses weren't there, this is something quite recent and I think very poignant.  
Incidentally,  the trees behind these crosses is where we had our wedding photos taken just over 48 years ago.

The Poppy

What does the Poppy mean to you?
Perhaps you don't really care
But on ANZAC Day in New Zealand
The Poppy is worn everywhere

It does not glorify conflict or war
Nor is it something to hate or fear
It is a symbol of remembrance
That many hold so dear

As we march to honour the dead
Someone's father, someones's son
We wear our Poppy to remember
Each and every one

It can be made of paper, or of tin
It can be old, or bright shining new
It's just our way of saying thank you
To every one of you

It is just a humble Poppy
A reminder to us all
That bravery and  courage triumph
Where dictators and tyrants fall

Gordon McMeikan - March 2017
An adaptation of a poem by the Shankill Somme Association.

Lest We Forget

Rainie