Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON
This photograph of a sea of poppies - synonymous with the blood-soaked fields of Flanders in World War One - was taken half an hour ago, outside Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance this afternoon. The Shrine, on St Kilda Road, is a unique part of the city. It honours not just the thousands of Victorians who died in World War I, it honours all Australians, men and women alike, who gave their lives in war. Here, you speak in hushed tones. Here, no one is ever in a hurry. Here, there are many evocative reminders of the generation who never came home. Here, you see many people, young and old alike, with glistening eyes.
1 comment:
There's a vitriolic debate going on in the UK about whether it should be RED poppies or WHITE. They signify different views of a similar theme, but not something I fully comprehend. It is something like the debate going on, also in the UK, about whether Christmas stamps this year should have Christian themes, seeing as how the UK is considered to be a multi-cultural society. The 'loonies' appear to have inherited the earth!
Apropos your post, picture this:
Singapore '71 or '72, yours truly chosen from a cast of thousands to line the graves at the Kranji War Memorial Cemetary as a guard of honour for HM the Queen. On the day, smartly turned out in the best tropical No. 1 uniforms tailored in the UK (despite having the finest and fastest tailors in the Far East at Changi - but that's another story!), HM and Philip turned up, on time, to regally walk between the ranks of grave airmen (sorry, couldn't resist that!) whilst we stood rigidly to attention and eyes to the front.
The spectators were abuzz, cameras clicked and flashlights flashed, and there was the usual jostling to get to the front. One little Aussie sprog shoulder-charged his way to the front of the scrimmage, dragging his distressed mother with him. "Maaam!", he shouted (imagine this with an Aussie accent). "Shush", replied his mother. "Maaam, maaam!", he wasn't going to be 'shushed' that easily. "Shush", responded his mother. "Maaam, I've seen the bloody Queen, maaam!"
Much suppressed mirth amongst the grave-fellas, and HM even allowed the corners of her mouth to twitch a little bit. Actually, we couldn't be sure whether it was a smirk at the comment she'd overheard, or whether she was chuckling at the antics of her Prince Consort who was doubled up with mirthful agony, kicking lumps out of the turf with the toe of one highly polished boot.
A solemn occassion irretrievably lost, but somehow I don't think the ones to whom we were paying homage minded one little bit.
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