Comments on: Anzacs – they shall not grow old

By: Sue French

Sue French — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 05:06:15 +0000

Hi John,
I have found both of your posts about Sir Ed. very interesting. Great to find a fellow Kiwi sharing the marketing class I am doing!
Cheers
Sue
(Thanks for the thumbs-up Sue. Ditto John)

By: Kevlarsam

Kevlarsam — Sun, 10 May 2009 21:51:02 +0000

Hi John
Thanks for writing that, it is interesting to see the old stories coming out. I remember asking my Poppa to tell me stories of WWII but he wouldn’t.

Last week I was in Napier and had some time with Nanna, (Poppa died some 20 years ago) and for some reason the stories started flowing about how Nanna and Poppa met at the beginning of the war, and that soon after they met he was posted to the Solomon Islands for some time working the new radar equipment. After some time in the Solomon Islands he had a week R & R back at home they got engaged and then was posted for three years in Brittan training the American fleet how to work their new radar systems.

Nanna came up with stories of how was back then and what happened after the war, really interesting.

My Uncle here was Army and we recently talked about the ANZAC parade here in Dunedin. I said to him that I had not missed one for my whole life until I was 28 and then something about them changed and the ANZAC parades became a recruitment drive for the forces not just a day to remember. Once that happened I have to admit that I haven’t been to one for 11 years.

Instead I go to a lonely war memorial up central and spend the time there thinking about the men and women who served and I struggle with the concept that the people who rule us are the actual killers and they are the ones who kill people by sending them to kill others.

Wouldn’t it be better to just let the people (our leaders) who send people to war just go at it in a boxing ring themselves so that the productive people are spared?

Kevlarsam
( I agree Sam, wars are started by politicians as they say, but who stands to gain from wars is the more important question – see future post on the financing of war )

By: Svenja

Svenja — Mon, 04 May 2009 23:29:05 +0000

Hi John,

I truly enjoy your stories! Since I am a fan of New Zealand as it is, I most definitely treasure all those insider stories that you normally don’t hear about.

Even though you talk about history, your personal touch lifts the words to a new level. Thank you for bringing the stories closer to all of us!

Svenja
(thanks for listening, Svenja. Each of us has a history and a genealogy, a story, and everyone wants to be heard. PS Your name is intriguing )

By: Mandy Allen

Mandy Allen — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:04:36 +0000

Golly, JJ, it’s still the 30th April here in the UK! What an interesting post. My grandfather also served in WW1 and survived (otherwise I wouldn’t be here!) He never would talk about it. Ever.

Enjoy the journey.

Mandy
thanks Mandy, we have a lot to be thankful for )