Anzac Day

ANZAC Day, Australia's most important national occasion commemorated on the 25 April of every year, not only marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War at Gallipoli but also the day Australians remember those men and women who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.

Private Ralph Cooke	Flight Lieutenant John McCabe

Two great Australians, my Great Uncle, Private Ralph Thomas Cooke who died on the 29 June 1916 at the age of 19 whilst fighting in Fleurbaix, France during World War One and Flight Lieutenant John Joseph McCabe, my late father-in-law, who served with the Australian Air Force during World War Two, are especially remembered on this day.

As I recall the “Ode of Remembrance” taken from Laurence Binyon's "For the Fallen" and recited at memorial services on ANZAC Day:

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…Lest we Forget.

I also picture in my mind, my late Great Uncle Ralph and John McCabe playing “two-up” together as they wait for the rest of us to catch up with them.

To be continued…

References, Links & Related Posts:

ANZAC Day Tradition
ANZAC Day
Gallipoli Campaign
The Game of “Two-up”
Private Ralph Thomas Cooke
Private Cooke – Part Two
Private Cooke – The Gifts
The Australian War Memorial
The Last Post

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps

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Political Correctness Gone Mad

Hospitals in my home state of New South Wales (NSW) Sydney, Australia successfully treat and heal thousands of people every year, with patients and visitors of all faiths, finding solace in their Christian hospital chapels.

Differing faiths that attend these chapels have no trouble with the Christian icons on display, such as the crucifix, Bible and images of Christ, as so many share common ground with Christianity.

Unfortunately in the name of political correctness, judgement calls made to assist or protect people of different faiths can backfire, offending all faiths.


One such decision was recently made by one of Sydney’s leading Hospitals, which came under intense fire from all quarters for removing all religious icons from view within the Chapel because, as it was increasingly being used by people of a variety of faiths, they saw it as their way of “moving with the times” with a non-denominational chapel best suiting their needs.

In other words, fearing they would offend other faiths by displaying Christian icons, they had them removed. Better safe than sorry, I presume!

Considering the chapel has been in use by a multitude of faiths apparently without complaint since it was built in 1968 after being funded by Christians, whoever was responsible for making this decision has erred in judgement and shown themselves to be out of touch with the general consensus.

Even the leaders from the non-Christian sectors have come together and expressed their dismay at the decision in the media, whilst adding there were no requests from them for the religious icons to be removed, nor would they be offended to see images of the cross.

The sayings, “If it’s not broken, why fix it?” and “one sandwich short of a picnic” now comes to mind!

With news that some hospital chaplains fought hard to have the ruling overturned, the decision has incurred the wrath of Federal Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull who described it as “political correctness gone mad”; with the NSW Opposition and Shadow Minister for Health, Jillian Skinner adding that it was “bureaucratic madness”.

In response to overwhelming condemnation there is now a glimmer of hope on the horizon, as the New South Wales Government will now ask a public chaplaincy committee, made up of religious leaders from all faiths, to review this decision.

One hopes this fiasco doesn’t carry onto other hospitals to the detriment of the multitude of different faiths that now use hospital chapels to pray, to grieve and to give thanks.

To be continued…

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Suicide

From time to time I’m reminded of when a friend a long time ago, committed suicide by putting the barrel of a .22 calibre rifle to his head and pulling the trigger.

Asked to identify his body back at the hospital, my gaze constantly shifted from his half opened eyes to the small neat hole in his forehead.

Putting my personal feelings to the side for just a moment, I was puzzled as to why such a small hole could have led to his death. Then without a thought I cursed him loud enough for all to hear.

Consoled by hospital staff, I still recall saying. “Why the bloody hell did you have to go and do that? You had so much going for you.”


Only weeks prior, I saw him with his wife and children heading out to collect firewood for their home with his chainsaw, dog and trailer in toe. All seemed happy enough then, so what happened to change all that?

This guy was straight laced, easy going and always quick with a joke and a smile. To tell you the truth I was envious of everything about him. Just goes to show you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Looking back now as I’ve done in the past, “I wonder if anything could have been done to save his precious life?”

Answering my own question; those of us that worked with him didn’t have a clue something was wrong, so most probably not.

Having lost friends well before their time since then, this has hit me the most. Why do I keep recalling this event? Perhaps it’s all part of getting old and reminiscing about the good, the bad and the ugly events that have passed over and through me over the many decades.

To be continued…

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