Australia Day - A time to remember

[crackacoldie]

As we all celebrate Australia Day and all that it means to our country, culture and all of us as individuals, it is also a time to remember those who have made our great country, well great.

On January 26 1968, members of Australia's 2RAR defended Bien Hoa province in Vietnam.  At 21 years of age, Cpl Graham Norley was one of these brave men.  Whilst many of those in Australia enjoyed the Australia Day celebrations, including BBQ's and picnics.  the men of 2RAR, including Cpl Norley, were locked in a 12 hour firefight with the North Vietnamese Army.  After 7 hours of this firefight, Cpl Graham Norley was fatally wounded by enemy fire.

Cpl Graham Norley was my Uncle, a man I never had the opportunity to meet and the reason my family flies the Australian flag at half mast on Australia Day.

This is not meant as a downer on Australia Day, we will celebrate this great nation of ours with friends and enjoy being Australian.  We will also remember those who have lost their lives on this day.

  To you Uncle Graham.

Cracka

[krisandkev]

Well spoken.  You are so right.  We need people to remind us of good reasons why we are so lucky. This great country is so full of great people.  Sad thing is that we usually do not hear about a person’s great life until it is at their funeral.   
Naturally the very best of people belong to this web site!   

[dooguss]

Well said cracka there so many great stories out there of people like your uncle that would be turning in there grave if they saw what our country had become. It annoys the piss out of me :'( that i cant let me kids play in the street as i use to as a kid without adult supervision, or let them go and be kids and get up to mischief in the neighbourhood without some goody to shoe ringing the fun . Everybody enjoy your australia day  cause as the years go on it will probably be against the law to celebrate this day.

[Mace]

There are some great, unheralded Australians out there.

Thanks for telling us about one cracka.

Im going to cracka can to him right now.

 

[crackacoldie]

Thanks for your replies all.  Mace that is exactly how he would be celebrating now 

Cracka

[rodsswag]

  Here is to all the unsung hero's men and women alike that has made this contry so great 


Rod....

[Muso]

I watched the first part of the Aus Day Parade, and it really warmed the cockles to see the armed guard using the old Belgian SLR 7.62 rifles like I had during those dark days. When we march on Anzac day, we still stand fast if an armed party marches by, but somehow the plastic weapons they used today just don't make the hair on the back of my neck bristle.

Of course I've never used one of these new weapons, and don't want to be on the end of one to see which is best, so I suppose it's just like an old pair of sunglasses, or an old pair of jeans......they just don't make them like they used to.

[crackacoldie]

I've used both during my career and well, plastic just doesn't feel the same and the drill doesn't look as sharp I don't think.

  Cracka

[Muso]

There are many ex servicemen on this site (including me) who fought for Australia and our way of life, under the Australian Flag.

Any person, no matter what colour, race or creed, dare dessecrate our flag in front of me, I would not hesitate to resort to violence. I know I'm getting old, but I would make sure I got a few good ones to the goolies first while someone goes and gets my 7.62 to tidy up and dispose of the vermin for good.