Lest We Forget ... But who have we already forgotten?

As ANZAC day approaches, and my bugling duties are again requested, I thought it would be apt to draw attention to the post I wrote on the topic this time last year. The last paragraph mentions this:

This ANZAC day I'd like to remind you all to think about not just the white Australians (and all the members of other nationalities) that have died during war, but to remember the original owners of this land who died in other, non-glorified, and unremembered battles.

When you stand up and say "Lest we forget" this ANZAC day, please think of those who history has already forgotten. There were around 500 Australian Aboriginals and Torres Straight Islanders who served in World War I, and around 5,000 serving in World War II. Aboriginal and Islander men and women have served in every major conflict that Australia has ever been involved in. Many of them never came home.

Those who did return were refused pensions, land grants, and other benefits offered to white servicemen, and were barred from entry into the Returned Serviceman's League (RSL). They were denied the recognition, honour, and respect that their mates in the trenches received. And now, over sixty years since the end of World War II, we are still refusing to give them that honour.

This ANZAC day, spend two minutes in silence for those who history have forgotten, Lest We Forget also. If you are in Canberra, please consider attending the the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander commemorative ceremony after the dawn service at the War Memorial.

-=oOo=-

The information for this post was drawn mostly from The Anzac Day legend & Coloured Digger Anzac march


The image is part of the The Coloured Digger set, uploaded to flickr by Findo and is shared under a Creative Commons Licence. 


Information about the various services (including the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander commemorative ceremony) can be found on the Australian War Memorial website. 


The AWM website does not include directions to the Aboriginal Memorial Plaque. Directions can be found here, or on the The Anzac Day legend & Coloured Digger Anzac march.


I won't make comment on how far removed the plaque is from the memorial itself. I'll allow these links to speak to that.

-=oOo=-

Lest We Forget.