ANZAC DAY 2022

During the Great War Australia and New Zealand 

provided a great many men for the war.  

 

Some 60,284 Australian men died.

Around 18,000 New Zealand men died. 

Add to this Australian wounded: 155,133.

New Zealand wounded: 41,000.

 

Several thousand others became POWs. 

 

 

Friday Mutterings

2GB

At last a break from Brexit, or is it?  A mass shooting in far off New Zealand might not at first sight be connected to the rich ERG clan lining their pockets via Brexit but the effect of the racist outpourings from their side of the debate results in such actions.
The 'Far Right,' a term that covers a great many who lean that way or take violent action for it, are predominately those who claim a form of white supremacy, a false Christian ideology (merely to oppose Islam), and a desire to chase all foreigners (mostly black ones) out of 'their' country.
Where does the ideology come from?
How does it spread?
In the UK this arises from media misuse.  Paul Dacre, who edited the 'Daily Mail' for 25 years spent a great deal of time attacking the EU for reasons of his own, he happily accepts millions in handouts from the EU for his farm up north however. Dacre also made a splurge on immigration, especially black immigration, constantly feeding the people reports of Pakistani born criminals and ensuring large 'ugly' pictures of these criminals were prominent in his media.  Slanted reporting, biased commentary, and pandering to the growing number of English who feel bereft for whatever reason and ensuring immigrants and Muslims are seen as responsible, clearly or indirectly ensured a growth of resentment especially in the south of England.
Is 'Dacre' an English name I ask?
Other papers spouted similar views, objective study of the situation replaced by fear and emotion. There are many English who believe all immigrants have been in jail, half are terrorists and they get first choice of houses and live off the dole without having paid a penny in.  It has also been claimed the will not sell you alcohol in supermarkets and attempted to ban Christmas, both proven lies spread about via social media.
Add to this real terrorist actions, 9/11 in the USA and several amateur and somewhat successful attempts in the UK by ISIS inspired dafties then it is inevitable that a white nutter will arise and make an attempt to settle scores.  There are many willing to sign up.
An abundance of videos by Farage, Moseley and I suspect many US white supremacist groups will provide ideology and instruction to those willing to follow blindly.  I can only give thanks that most of us have avoided being dragged into such a mindset.  It is very easy to be a follower.
Such outrages bring out the usual responses. Platitudes and denunciations from appropriate leaders follow, as do the public's response of condemnation or support.  This may not be outright support just the usual 'whataboutery' mentioning Islamic attacks elsewhere.  Murdering innocents for a cause is not justified by murdering innocents for a cause.  Hardening opinions will be seen, many will not be seen but will be hidden away ready for the day they will arise.  That will not be a good day for the world.
Brexit comes into this as the perpetrator of this crime informs us, remember he is an Australian of English, Scots and Irish ancestry (someone got around then?) operating in New Zealand, blaming Brexit “That it was the British people firing back at mass immigration, cultural displacement and globalism, and that’s a great and wonderful thing,” he said.  He has a point, little englanders did not want johnny Foreigner, especially the black ones, coming into their area.  UKIP support is very strong in areas with little immigration to be seen.  Only now that thousands are losing jobs do these folks realise their mistake.  Interesting that as an Australian he did not consider pushing Aborigines or in New Zealand Maori's about as 'mass immigration or cultural displacement' that he may be able to justify though whether Aborigines or Maori's agree is another thing.

There is a danger such attitudes will proliferate, hate is easier to spread that Love.  Fear brings hate and the encouragement of immigration over the past fifty years while disregarding the opinions of the native population and indeed regarding them as 'racist' has led to them becoming 'racist!'  The world requires thoughtful immigration and border controls not short term emotional ones seen recently.  UK, France and the US have over a hundred years mucked about in the middle east and recent wars have resulted from this.  ISIS sending a million or two into the EU at one go has encouraged the far right tendency that has always lived in parts of central Europe.  Mismanagement here has led to much pain and newspapers fanning flames have not helped. 
It is disappointing that the UK government is not in a position to advise friends elsewhere in this situation seeing as they have little idea how to operate the Brexit shambles that lies in front of us now.  That resumes next week.

Not to be Forgotten Colonials

 

The ANZACs

Much of this morning was taken up with watching the ceremony at the Cenotaph for the ANZAC Day commemorations.  The next few years will see many centenaries from the war and this was probably one of the most significant.  The combined forces of the Australian and New Zealand armies not only partook in an unglamorous conflict but by doing so they forged two new nations.
Until this operation there was a tendency to see themselves as an extension of the 'mother country' something that has occurred time and again down through the centuries.  The British Isles sent many to these to land masses, sometimes unwillingly, and it was the war of 1914 that brought the realisation that these two nations were just that, nations, not an extension of anyone else.
The Anzacs had a tough and difficult time at Gallipoli and later played a part in operation in the Sinai desert.  In 1916 they were transferred to the harder still fighting in France serving at Poziers on the Somme.  
The contribution to the war effort by the Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, Indian and many other nations cannot be overlooked.  Too often however that is what happens.  Today the ceremony brought them to the fore and also added contributions from their former enemies the Turks!  They too cannot be ignored.  
Fighting soldiers are usually the first to be pacifists when war threatens but the first into battle when peace breaks down.  Those who know war are the first to avoid it!  These men are also the first to welcome gatherings like this where former enemies meet to commemorate and live new lives.

   
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Thursday Run Around

I spent much of this morning cleaning the hoover.  This fancy piece of Tesco cleaning technology requires cleaning itself once a month and I may have missed a month or two.  There was so much muck that I could not get it open. Once open the dust had solidified so it would not come out.  This is where the use of ageing chopsticks come into their own.  Every home requires a set of cheap chopsticks as one of these rammed up inside the blessed equipment eventually releases sufficient dust to require another hoovering of the whole house!  Once I had poked, brushed, shaken and thumped several parts of this almost totally plastic machine I put it to good use, clearing up the mess left by cleaning the brute.  It did make a difference mind, the thing almost stuck to the floor once I put it to use and soon the place was back to the normal standard of grime.  A whole morning spent on this!

About noon the weather chilled a wee bit and I wondered about turning on the heating.  There was a New Zealand soldier from the Great War I had to research and was surprised just how easily his information could be found.  The Aussies are similar regarding Great War men.  However I had to download 24 pages and this took over an hour.  Interesting stuff mind but it took time.  
As my fingers began to freeze an email from the museum that was somewhat confusing arrived. The effort of answering this meaningless communication (she is a woman) led me to consider it might be better to go there and talk to her. (When there it still took a few moments to get through and in the end I was not sure I knew what was what!)  Anyway as the museums heat was on off I went. After avoiding the hundred Victorian children running around learning about the past we discussed WW2 and the stuff I have been ignoring!  It looks like I have lots to do now, starting tomorrow.  

When there I took one or two not very good pictures of stuff in the shop in an effort to sell them to the locals online.  I was a bit rushed and will have to do it all again on Tuesday when it's quiet.  The pictures of the headscarves and cards came out just about workable but the others were a bit peely wally.  It is amazing what folks buy in a museum shop.  As we are linked to the silk mill museum down the way we have many cards based on their designs and women are always buying them, every day we sell cards for a variety of purposes, and before the cards shown (not from the silk mill) were on the shelf they were being bought.  Personally I want folks to buy books re the town history but money keeps the place open.  
A whole day in which only three things have been done!  I don't usually manage that many. 

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Sunny Saturday

Sunny Saturday so me sitting inside the museum 'training' a new volunteer. Hopefully he will take over soon and allow me my Saturdays back.  It is difficult tot rain someone when nobody ventures past the front door, well some folks did arrive just as he was leaving.  Typical!  Then I had to rush home and sit through two cup finals.  St Johnstone you will be delighted to know won the cup for the first time in their 130 year history, and the game was full of interest.  I really enjoyed it.  Following this was the less interesting English cup and after a game that enthralled this meant little.  Quite how the English can get interested in their football beats me, ours is far better.  At least it means something to me.  

That sums up my day.  Writing for the boss at seven thirty in the morning, working sort off and football. I will be glad the season is over as it is wearing me out.  Of course I never got any of the sunshine.  

This is good!