My grandfather was a Digger – a Navigator for the RAAF in WW2 in New Guinea and the Coral Sea. He saw the best and worst in men, fighting on both sides. He rarely spoke of it, but when I was nine years old, he took our whole family on a trip, by boat, to deepen our understanding of, and honour, our history.
We started our journey of remembrance in Rabaul in PNG and finished, after layovers in Singapore and Hong Kong, at the Nagasaki Peace Park in Japan. My grandfather held no malice; he held no grudge; rather he believed that every man, on whichever side he was fighting, loved his country, was making sacrifices for his nation, and its future, and by the doctrine of that culture.
No history class or book I’ve read since has left such a deep impression on my spirit.
As I reflect on the sacrifices our Anzacs made, I hope that we can take inspiration from their spirit as we navigate the challenge our society faces today. The sense of mateship, helping others and working together to achieve a common goal are values that continue to inspire us.
During this time of uncertainty in the face of COVID-19, we can take heart that the collective measures of our individual actions are making a significant difference to our mortality rates. It is a difficult time, and everyone is experiencing different levels of hardship; whether it be by loss of income, loneliness, family ructions, failed businesses, unimaginable financial hardship, increased anxiety or health challenges. This pandemic is taking a toll on societies around the world, and yet there are great examples of people being united like never before; unexpected acts of human kindness, people coming together to help where they can, and the arts, music and comedy lifting our spirits. This is no time for malice or resentment.
This weekend we are provided with an opportunity to reflect on our Diggers and the sacrifices they made to contribute to Australia’s future. To those who fought for us, we will remember you.
I, along with many other Australians, will be proudly participating in Light up the Dawn on Saturday to remember all those who have served and sacrificed. It is also wonderful to see what other members of our community are doing to show their thanks during this time of isolation. Charles Cameron, the CEO of our industry association, the RCSA, is spending Saturday taking the Last Post to the people of Euroa; his unique way of celebrating the ANZAC spirit and remembering those who have served.
