Oddfellows War Memorial

Stands alone now big trees removed from above. At the start of my favourite walk to the harbour.

Sydney's main war memorial

In Martin Place in front of the General Post Office.

If you get caught between the moon and Sydney city

Reflection of the moon in the Archibald fountain, early morning.

Avalon ANZAC Day march

The local war veterans marching on their day.

Australian Hero

Yesterday was ANZAC day, lots of remembering as it was 100 years since the first ANZAC day. Unusual for a nation to celebrate a defeat rather than a victory. Here is a statue of a real war hero: Edward 'Weary' Dunlop. It is at Benalla a great little town on the way from Sydney to Melbourne. It was his boyhood home. 'Lieutenant-Colonel E.E. ‘Weary’ Dunlop is an iconic figure in Australian memory of the Thai–Burma railway. Although only one of 106 Australian doctors captured by the Japanese and of 44 on the railway, Dunlop came to represent the self-sacrifice, courage and compassion which doctors and Australians more generally are remembered as displaying in captivity.'

New War Memorial

In Hyde Park the new war memorial was opened, it commemorates the contribution of Aboriginal soldiers.

The last post

Yesterday at 11 I watched the ceremony at the Hyde Park War memorial. The ode to the fallen was read and a bugler played the last post. Some members of the Australian Army saluted as it was played.

Cenotaph in Martin Place

Early this morning, a beautiful autumn Friday, there are still some leftovers from ANZAC day last week.

Emden's gun

In Hyde Park is this captured gun. I have just finished a book about this historic event in Australian history. First Victory By Mike Carlton, a compelling read. To read more about the Battle of Cocos click here.

Hyde Park war memorial

Parade in Sydney

Ships' crews from countries including Indonesia, India, the United Kingdom and the United States took part in the march to the Town Hall, where they were met by Governor-General Quentin Bryce. She is wearing yellow in the picture and sits beside Sydney's Lord Mayor Clover Moore and our Governor Marie Bashir beside her. Good to see so many females at the top.

Bastille Day

Vive la France. Taken on 14 July 2012.

Two vietnam veterans

'Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War began as a small commitment of 30 men in 1962, and increased over the following decade to a peak of 7,672 Australians deployed in South Vietnam or in support of Australian forces there. The Vietnam War was the longest and most controversial war Australia has ever fought. Approximately 60,000 Australians served in the war; 521 were killed and more than 3,000 were wounded.' Wiki

War Memorial Hyde park

Morning sunlight against the war memorial.

Australian War Memorial Canberra 7 FINAL

The setting sunlight over the AWM and parts of the HMAS Brisbane. Back to Sydney tomorrow.

Australian War Memorial Canberra 6

The gun mount of the HMAS Brisbane outside the AWM. HMAS Brisbane (1966) was the second vessel of that name to serve in the Royal Australian Navy. She was the third of the RAN's American-built "Charles F. Adams" class guided-missiles destroyers. Brisbane undertook two tours of duty with the United States Seventh Fleet off Vietnam, in 1969 and again in 1971, and was the last ship of the RAN to serve there.

Australian War Memorial Canberra 5

The setting sun and the big Amiens gun, captured WW1. ‘To assist Australians to remember, interpret and understand the Australian experience of war and its enduring impact on Australian society’. This is the mission of the Australian War Memorial.

Australian War Memorial Sculpture

Australian War Memorial Canberra 3

Afternoon light. After the 1939-1945 war, the charter of the Memorial was extended to encompass all wars in which Australians have died. Today, the Memorial’s collection is divided into the following areas: Art (the Memorial has an extensive art collection), Military Heraldry and Technology, (including flags, uniforms, guns, aeroplanes and so on), Photo Sound and Film, and Printed and Written Records.

Australian War Memorial Canberra Simpson and his Donkey

Outside the AWM Canberra is this statue of Simpson and his Donkey. John "Jack" Simpson Kirkpatrick (6 July 1892 – 19 May 1915), who served under the name John Simpson, was a stretcher bearer with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) during the Gallipoli Campaign in World War I. After landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915, he obtained a donkey and began carrying wounded British Empire soldiers from the frontline to the beach, for evacuation. He continued this work for three and a half weeks, often under fire, until he was killed. Simpson and his Donkey are a key part of the "Anzac legend". Wiki