Let Me Introduce You to the Pro Hicks Crowd...

They are such a bunch of Gems, truly some of the most intelligent and upstanding people I have ever come across. Alright, I am literally choking on these words.

They are actually so pathetic I barely know what to say. So let their words speak for themselves. I have deliberately witheld names from these comments as believe it or not, I'm not looking to start a fight here. Just trying to show this arguement from both sides...

...i see the powers that be have you well and truely brainwashed. Im not left or right, christian or muslim, black or white, not that any of that is your buisness anyway, but one thing i am is free thinking! i suggest you read the comment i left on free david hicks profile, i wanted to add it to yours but you need to be a friend to do that, and being a free thinking human being with whats left of a right to choose, i choose too not add such a narrow minded person to my profile..... take care and good luck fighting those crazy muslims!! you'll need it, as fear is a very haRD THING TO DEFEAT, ESPECIALLY A CONCEPTUAL FEAR.

One thing I find interesting is they seem to think I hate Muslims or at the very least they seem to be able to bring it back to something anti Muslim each time. I'll let you in on a little secret. Some of my closest friends are Muslims. They are Muslims who came to this country for a better life from place like Pakistan, India and South Africa. I actually speak to them often about alot of the things I discuss on my various blogs. They are never afraid to share their opinions with me, even when we don't necessarily see eye to eye. I actually resent that people see Muslims as the issue here. Extremists are the issue, not Muslims.

How can you say that? Of course the people on the Hicks myspace respect the people fighting to keep us free. The point is, we are against the people who are MEANT to fight for our freedom, who are abusing us. If you were put in jail for 5 years, for no reason except a claim, "Unlawful Enemy Combatant", that is simply military jargon and technically unlawful and against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, you would be let down by the so called people "fighting for our freedom" I support freedom and the fight for it, but its hard to see how someone, who never fired a bullet at the U.S. or Australia, and was simply defending the US RECOGNISED GOVERNMENT of the Taliban, can be held, tortured and abused, with no trail. The Taliban before Sept 11, 2001 was an official government. So technically, David Hicks was a soldier for the official government, much the same as an Australian Soldier fighting to defend his country in Kokoda in 1944. It was only ater Sept 11, that the US said the Taliban was a terrorist organisation. Before that, the US gave them millions of dollars in aid, which they used to buy weapons from pakistan. It is all documented, look it up. No matter what he has done, that is inexcusable under the Genva Convention and the Declaration of Human Rights. Chirst, Ivan Milat was treated better than David Hicks, and he got a fair trial too. I wonder who is the more "evil." And finally, the Civil War is a civil war, because two types of Muslim groups are fighting eachother for control. The Sunni and the Shi'ites are fighting eachother for the right to govern Iraq, so this does constitue a civil war. Not everyone is fighting the coalition. Alot of them are fighting amongst themselves.

Ok, first of all... Comparing David Hicks to the Soldiers in Kokoda?? Does he even know what the hell we were doing there??

Nice that he thinks the war in Iraq is a Civil War. Obviously a follower of the MSM who chooses to ignore the fact that many other countries are interfering in this war (Can we all sat IRAN??)

I understand your concern however, this issue is not about David’s guilt or innocence – it’s about his basic human and legal rights - the right to a fair trial and not to be subjected to inhumane treatment. More than 360 detainees from other countries, including Albania, Afghanistan, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Maldives, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, and Yemen have been returned to their home countries from Guantanamo. The British got all their citizens out years ago, to let any evidence against them be heard before proper courts. Our Government could have done the same thing then, and should now. And American won't allow its citizens to be tried in Guantanamo. Are Australians worth less than Americans? We can't fight for our rights and freedom by denying others those very same rights.

I think this is possibly the 'ideal' that pisses me off the most. It isn't about what he did it's about his basic human rights. Got a big old nasty news flash for you all. If he hadn't been in Afghanistan with Al Qaeda he would never have been arrested or incarcerated. So it is in fact the very root of the issue here!!

Well, they'll be happy to know David Hicks will be free New Years Eve. What a way to ring in the New Year huh??? With a Terrorist set free. I think I'll cross Adelaide OFF my list of places to be on that night!!

A_C

Avenge the Nurses!!

Centaur (Hospital ship) Sinking of the Centaur The Centaur, 2/3rd Australian Hospital Ship, was a motor passenger ship converted in early 1943 for use as a hospital ship. In November 1941 it had rescued survivors of the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran after it had sunk and been sunk by HMAS Sydney. On 12 May 1943 the Centaur sailed unescorted from Sydney at 0945 hours carrying her crew and normal staff, as well as stores and equipment of the 2/12th Field Ambulance but no patients. It was sunk without warning by a torpedo from a Japanese submarine on 14 May 1943 at approximately 0400 hours, its position being approximately 27°17' S, 153°58' E about 50 miles east north-east of Brisbane. Of the 332 persons on board, only 64 survived. These survivors spent 35 hours on rafts before being rescued. Sister Ellen Savage, the only one of twelve nursing sisters on board to survive, though injured herself, gave great help to the other survivors and was awarded the George Medal for this work. Link

Sydney, NSW. 1943. Starboard bow view of the Hospital Ship Centaur. Prominent red crosses and green lines are painted on her hull. Red crosses are also attached to her funnel and stern with another lying horizontally on the after deckhouse.
AWM 302800

It was a scene all to familiar to the Australians in World War 2. A barborous act by the Japanese, an act of war in fact. A hospital ship, immune from the threat of war due to its status was attacked and sunk off the coast of Brisbane. Many of the people aboard were not trained to fight and were in no situation to do so. Ths ship caught fire and sunk so quickly that many died before they were even able to comprehend what was happening.

The Centaur had done everything right. The ship was appropriately marked as a hospital ship, displaying all the insignia required. It had departed under radio silence, a factor that excaberated the long delays before they were rescued. Due to the radio silence there had been no calls for help and no one had known to raise the alarm. The Centaur had been sighted from a distance not long after the attack but because many had not been told it had departed they assumed it was a Naval training exercise.

And so these brave souls were left, fighting to stay alive amidst the threat of hypothermia and shark attack, battling to stay afloat with countless injuries ranging in severity.

Sister Ellen Savage is one who deserves to be remembered for her acts following the attack on the Centaur.....

Seaman Martin Pash remembered that the Centaur “just went straight down. There was no noise or anything – a lot of people calling out, the nurses and all … The deck boy brought Sister Savage on. She had a fractured jaw. You wouldn’t think there was anything wrong with her but she suffered very badly. She had broken ribs and [was] bruised and one of the fellas gave her his overcoat to put over her.” Despite her own injuries, 30-year-old Sister Ellen Savage nursed the wounded and boosted the morale of the others. The other eleven nurses all drowned. After a day and a half adrift on life rafts, the 64 survivors were spotted by an RAAF Anson and recovered by the destroyer USS Mugford. Sister Savage’s courage was recognised by the award of the George Medal. George Medal recommendation Sister Ellen Savage, Australian Army Nursing Service, was awarded the George Medal for courage during the sinking of the hospital ship Centaur off Stradbroke Island, Queensland, on 13 May 1943. Link

The Victims of the attack on the Centaur are remembered at this Memorial at Point Danger in Queensland.


A_C

Old War Pics

In the process of doing posts for Tanker Brothers I have spent a hell of alot of time in the War History Archives. One of the things I really love about the Archives is the pics. So I put a bunch of them together.....

Also, The 4 pics before the clip are from Mary Ann. They are truly awesome and so is she for sharing them. Thanks Mary Ann!!

The pics are from Mary Anns dad and had little notes on the back describing what they were.

"Aussie guesting 2 Japs"

"Japs disembarking from the ship on which they signed the surrender." (I believe there were many small surrender signings.)

"This is the Navy's part of the color guard...not as sharp as we were. Hey hey!" This was at a Victory Mass the Chaplain said. Funny to think how long the intra service rivalrys have been going on.

"Private surrender conference we carried out in the far reaches of the Ricco river"

My Open Letter To the Democrats (From Tanker Brothers)

I woke up this morning with thoughts of Americas politics on my mind, truly not the nicest way to start the day. As I lay in bed I started to think about how far Americas influence spread throughout the world. How their day to day drama's affect us all. Then I began to wonder what I would say to the Democrats if I had my chance.

And so I decided to write my thoughts in an open letter....

You Sad, Sorry, Pathetic, Spineless....

Ooops, you'll be wanting the edited version. With this in mind I am not actually aware of how you address your politicians in mail. I know it is customary for us to address ours 'To the Honourable.....' but those words just don't seem right in this case.

As an Australian and citizen of one of your most loyally allied countries, I feel compelled to write and voice my utter disgust at the way in which you choose to conduct yourselves.

As you sit abusing and misusing your positions of power on a daily basis, we your allies and friends, are left wondering where is your pride in your country?? Where is your pride in everything you stand for??

The United States is undoubtedly the most powerful country in the world. It's influences are far reaching and affect every other nation in one way or another. This gives you the unenviable responsibility of ensuring you conduct yourselves and your politics in a respectful and selfless manner. Since last years elections when the Democrats took the majority of power I have seen none of this.

I have seen a political party that has no respect for itself or the people that fight to keep their great nation free. I see a political party that does not seem able to comprehend the far reaching affects of it's decisions and campaigns. Speaking from my perspective, I wonder if you understand the consequences of withdrawing the Troops from Iraq and Afghanistan before they are able to complete the task at hand.

By 'Cutting and Running' you are undoubtedly bringing the fight to us. While this fight is in the Middle East we are able to conduct all operations as a united front. The Coalition is able to call on each others strengths to get the job done. By forcing the Presidents hand and 'ending' this war you will divide the Coalition. No longer will we be in a position to address the issue of Terrorism as a whole. By bringing the fight to us you are forcing each nation to defend itself, therefore not allowing us to work together. I wonder, do you feel confident that your country can withstand ongoing acts of terrorism if our Troops are not left to finish this fight?? If so, that is not a confidence I share.

I know many of you have visited Iraq and I have to wonder, exactly which parts of Iraq you saw?? I am in no doubt that little of your trip involved leaving the relative safety of your hotel since after visiting you still seem unconvinced of our need to be there. We all have much to be proud of in light of the progress being made over in these countries. Incase you were still ignorantly unaware, there is progress being made.

Might I suggest that maybe you spend a little less time negating the valiant efforts and successes of your countries Warriors and perhaps redirect some of that energy towards the Leftist Movements that have become an embarassment to your great nation. Unfortunately for you, it is their disgusting displays of treason that embed themselves in the minds of many who are then blinded to the courage and strength of your honourable Military Forces.

In my country, baring yourself to protest would earn you a trip to the police station and a court appearance. I have to confess, from an outsiders point of view it actually seems that you encourage these gatherings. I am left completely at a loss as to why people are legally allowed to denounce your countries leaders and openly encourage and support terrorism. Is this truly what your country meant when they decided that all it's citizens should have Freedom of Speech?? That people be allowed to openly support those who would see your country destroyed??

Perhaps all that energy mispent on negating the efforts of our Troops might be better spent reviewing your protest laws. I in no way support David Hicks, I am one of what seems to be a minority in my country who believe he is as guilty as sin. However it astounds me that on the one hand he is being tried for supporting terrorism and on the other, you have American citizens who openly and unashamedly boast of supporting the terrorists and they continually go uninvestigated and unpunished. I do not blame your President for this. I blame you. It would seem your Party has become so desperate to pursue the downfall of it's countries President that it can not see it's own treason.

Inevitably, as a united front, both the Democrats and the Terrorists seem likely to bring about the destruction of your country. Already your own private Coalition is erradicating the moral fibre of your nation. As you bicker amongst yourselves like spoilt children your people lose faith in it's government.

Today, more than any other day I can remember, I thank God that I am Australian. When, because of your actions, this war comes to us at least we will conduct ourselves in a courageous and honourable manner. We may not win but we will fight with and for the pride of our great nation.

Who will fight for you??

A_C

Have to Share This Little Story

Its all pretty funny (well I thought it was anyway).

One of `My` Soldiers has had a pretty rough time of things so I thought I would send him a little Aussie Care Package. It contained some Aussie bits and pieces, amongst them a pair of thongs.

Naturally I listed the contents on the custom form and barely gave it a second thought.

I finally got to catch up with him last night after weeks of no contact. During the conversation I promised to write more. He told me that would be good as long as I didnt put the word `thongs` on anything. It took me a few seconds but when I clicked I burst out laughing. He told me his CO happened to read the customs form and made him open it in front of everyone. Lucky I had packed things into a bag so he could feel that it was the footwear, not the underwear I was refferring to!!

Im sure the rest of the unit found this just as amusing. After a few minutes of threats for what I could put on the customs form for the next package I promised to be more aware of our countries different uses for the same words.

A_C

So much for Hicks recieving a Fair Trial!!

He did in fact, dodge his chance at a fair trial by pleading guilty to one charge on the eve of his trial. In doing so he has not had to take the witness stand and be forced to answer to his actions in Afghanistan. So all you Pro Hicks Pansies, you got your freakin way. He didnt recieve the trial you were all shouting and waving banners about. Like the Gutless Mongrel he is he pleaded out so he wouldnt have to answer for his actions.

Ohhh, its not just me that thinks this way.......

Easy way to dodge account of crimes COMMENT Chris Merritt March 28, 2007 YESTERDAY'S plea bargain by David Hicks is the worst of all possible outcomes. It means that the case against him will never be tested and he will never be asked to explain why he signed up with a murderous gang of thugs. By confessing, Hicks has dodged a process that would have transformed this affair. The focus was about to turn to what he did - not the circumstances of his incarceration. That would have forced his cheer squad to face the awkward reality that their poster boy is a terrorist who was willing to kill. He has already admitted to family that he fired at Indian forces in Kashmir. By pleading guilty to one charge, Hicks has admitted to all the facts in the prosecution case. But by leaving that case untested and avoiding the witness box, he has denied the Americans a strategic advantage. After the PR blitz of Major Michael Mori, this case would have given the US military commission system a chance to restore its credibility. For Hicks, it was better to plead guilty and avoid a trial than to be found guilty after a credible fight. Last night, the Hicks fan club played right along by seeking to diminish the significance of his guilty plea. Their predictable argument is more PR that still avoids reality. A confession, so they say, is the only way Hicks could quickly leave Guantanamo Bay, and he was never going to get a fair trial. The subtext is that Hicks is not really guilty but confessed to receive a lighter sentence. What they are saying is that an innocent man confessed to a crime on the eve of his trial. Instead of clearing his name, he chose prison. What nonsense.

I find it utterly disgusting that his children have come into this whole saga now. He has claimed all he wants is to go home and see his children. How much did he care about those children when he was consorting with our countries enemies?? Enemies who would just as easily have ended those childrens lives?? How much did he care when he was running around the Middle East playing Terrorist?? He gave no thought to them then. If he cared for those children at all he would have come home instead of going to Afghanistan and been a real father. Found a job, settled down and provided a positive influence.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he was glad the "saga" had come to a conclusion. "I think people will weigh up all of the debates there have been about David Hicks in the context of the guilty plea," Mr Downer said. A panel of five to 10 unnamed US commissioned military officers were being readied by the Pentagon last night to fly to Guantanamo where they will sit as a jury to decide Hicks's sentence. Hicks, a 31-year-old father of two, was clean-shaven but sported below-shoulder-length hair and looked overweight. He was dressed in a light-green prison smock and wore black thongs on his feet. He was composed and talkative throughout the more than 3 1/2 hours of hearings yesterday, even cracking a joke and smiling. But Hicks himself did not voice his plea to judge Colonel Ralph Kohlmann. That was left to his US military lawyer, Major Michael Mori, who, in full military uniform, rose at about 8.30pm local time, Hicks standing by his side looking to the front of the court solemnly, and said "guilty" to one count of providing material support for terrorism and "not guilty" to the second. Under the charge sheet, the pleas yesterday indicate that Hicks has pleaded guilty to his association with al-Qa'ida before and after September 11, when, among other things, he met Osama bin Laden and completed al-Qa'ida training courses. But he pleaded his innocence to a second count in which it was alleged Hicks provided material support for an act of terrorism. Link

And the fact that he looked overweight would somewhat negate the arguements that he was being underfed would it not?? The words 'Grasping at Straws' comes to mind when I think of the Pro Hicks Crowds arguements against his detention.

Well, all I have to say on the matter is I hope you're all proud of yourselves. Seems all that hollering and banner waving won out for you and helped you free a Terrorist. You can all run along now and start making your banners for when they capture Hick's boss Bin Laden. I'm sure if you all scream loudly enough you could have him freed too.

Just a thought, with all the money you poured into his 'Legal Fund' (you idiots do know his legal representation was provided by the US Government right??) you might want to donate anything left over to the real victims of this war. The families who have lost heroes in this struggle for humanity. Brave Soldiers who would rather fight for than against their countries.

A_C

Chopper pilot heads back to a riskier Iraq

Ok, now I have to tell you....I am sooo not a fan of the LA Times. I think their editorials are just bullshit. More often than not written by young punks who don't have a clue they have no issue with insulting the Troops and the Veterans that came before them.

I did like this article however..

Hunter Army Airfield, Ga. — EACH time he receives the order to fly a Black Hawk helicopter over Iraq, U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Hector Echevarria tidies up the personal effects he leaves behind. Echevarria has completed two yearlong tours of Iraq since 2003, and he is planning a third. He has helped clean out a dead soldier's messy room before. If he is shot down, "messy" is not how he wants to be remembered. "People don't remember you for how you go into a situation," Echevarria said. "They remember how you went out." Link

Too often, too many people take for granted what the Troops do in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. How many of us clean our rooms and sort our belongings before going to work each day?? That's right, we don't need to because there are people fighting for our right to feel safe in our day to day comings and goings.

I feel so saddened that their families suffer so while they are away. The fear of watching the news, of every official looking car that pulls up out the front of the house. They have to live with that every day. They also have to live with the Anti Everything crowds protesting against their family members sacrifice, the governments doing their best to negate their efforts and what is probably worst of all, their countrymens complacency.

To me, it is unfathomable that people are still unaware of the sacrifices made by so many, day in and day out. And these are long days. These are days that seem to have no end for most of those fighting this war. Sleep never seems to come as soon as waking and yet they Soldier on.

A_C

Changi Prison and the Burma Railway

This is one of the hardest posts I have ever done. Even though I have had this information bookmarked for over a year, actually bringing myself to fully research it and do a post has been a struggle. The reason, my Uncle Ben died in Changi Prison of Beri-Beri on the 8th Nov 1942. I wont be posting pics on this post as most of them depict Soldiers in apalling conditions, malnourished and showing obvious signs of abuse.

Throughout their suffering though, the Spirit of the Aussie Soldiers shone through. Their legendary bravery along with that hint of larrikinism never left them despite the deprivations they suffered. I will attempt to show you both sides of their experiences as POW's of the Japanese.

The Australians surrendered along with the Allied forces on Feb 15^th 1942. Amongst approximately 50,000 soldiers that surrendered, around 13,000 were Australian. For 2 days they marched the 29kms to the Changi Peninsula where the Selerang Barracks, formerly a British Military Base became their home for the next 3 ½ years.

Singapore (Changi and Singapore Island) Changi was the main prisoner-of-war camp in Singapore. Some 14,972 Australians captured at the fall of Singapore were imprisoned there(as drafts were sent away, the numbers at Changi declined, then after the completion of the Burma-Thailand Railway, numbers rose again). Lieutenant Colonel F. G. “Black Jack” Galleghan of the 2/30th Battalion was commander of the AIF in Changi. Many work forces were assembled in Changi before being sent to the Burma-Thailand Railway and other work camps. It was also used as a staging camp for those captured elsewhere. Prisoners were used on heavy labouring works in and around Singapore. Tasks included road-building, freight-moving, mine removal and work in chemical factories. These troops suffered from diseases such as beriberi, malaria, and dysentery. Prisoners of war were sent to the following camps around Singapore: Great World, Adam Park No. 1, Bukit Timah No 5, Thomson Road No. 3, Lornie Road, Serangoon Road, Adam Park No. 4, Woodlands, Pasir Pajang, River Valley Road, Havelock Road, and Blakang Mati; and in Malaya to Johore Bahru, Mersing, and Endau. Link

Some truly extraordinary stories of loyalty and courage emerged from Changi Prison after the prisoners were released in 1945. Amongst them was this one...

The clearest indication of the Japanese contempt for their prisoners came in September 1942. During the previous month General Percival and most of the other senior British and Australian officers had been taken away to Japan, and Colonel Holmes and Colonel Galleghan were left in command of the 20,000 or so prisoners who now remained at Changi. At the same time Major General Fukuye and a large administrative staff arrived to establish a proper prisoner-of-war camp regime. Hardly had Fukuye arrived when four escaped prisoners were brought in. Two of these had got away from Bukit Timah in May, and had rowed 200 miles In a small boat before re-arrest. The Japanese, who refused to recognize the right of any prisoner-of-war to attempt to escape, announced on 30th August that all prisoners were to be given the opportunity to sign the following statement: 'I the undersigned, hereby solemnly Swear on my honour that I will not, under any circumstances, attempt to escape.' Colonel Holmes pointed out that prisoners-of-war were not allowed to give their parole, and he and his fellow officers refused to sign. You can read the rest of this story here.

But, as much as these incidents would have broken the spirits of the bravest of men, it only stregthened the Aussies resolve to make their incarceration as bareable as possible. With that in mind, they set out to organise lectures, by those educated in certain areas, aimed at furthering the education of others. The Officers recognised from the outset that an idle mind could not be a good thing in these conditions and sought to continue the discipline and structure that would be necessary to maintain order among the ranks. From this, the 'University' was established.

No account of the Changi prison camp would be complete without some reference to the ‘University’. Despite the apathy which was all too apparent among many of the men, the RAEC staff were soon appealing for potential lecturers and instructors, and a wealth of talent was unearthed, ranging from officers who possessed some sort of professional qualifications to almost the entire staff of Raffles College, Singapore, who had been mobilized as volunteers and now found themselves behind the wire. Inevitably educational materials were scarce, but several libraries were found more or less intact, and chairs, tables and even blackboards were discovered. From March to August 1942 the educational programme expanded until several thousand men were taking part. Lectures were given on every conceivable topic and class tuition was provided in a series of faculties, including General Education, Business Training, Languages, Engineering, Science, Agriculture, Law and Medicine. Southern Area College (in Kitchener Barracks) provided tuition approaching university level, while 18th Division College provided instruction up to matriculation standard. Unfortunately, hardly had the educational work got fully under way than the teaching staffs began to be depleted by the departure of working parties and by November the 'university' had contracted into an Education Centre, which provided a library and a limited range of classes and lectures. Link

Also, as a way of keeping the Soldiers spirits alive, a Concert Party was organised for their entertainment. Here is one of their stories....

Entertainment too had its place in the life of Changi. The Australians in Selarang raised a Concert Party of almost professional standard, and it became such a booster of morale that for a long time its members were kept back whenever the Japanese called for more workers. One of its comedians, Harry Smith, had a catch phrase, 'You'll never get off the Island' which became almost the watchword of the prisoners throughout the captivity. While the Australians concentrated on variety shows, the British using the old RA cinema, known as the 'Playhouse', put on straight plays in the main, achieving likewise a very high quality. Link

The stories at the bottom of this linked page are truly extraordinary. In almost a 'Hogans Heroes' fashion, these POW's were able to either scrounge or buy on a black market, all the materials they would need to continue these concert parties including instruments and costumes.

And of course, not to be forgotten, was Changis own cartoonist George Sprod...

George Sprod was 20 when he signed up, still under the legal age of 21. He had come to Sydney from Adelaide, but hadn't had much luck finding steady work. The army meant a change of scene and a chance to do something for King and Country. He was assigned to the Artillery and became Gunner Sprod. George didn't have a background in drawing when he became a POW in Changi. But he needed something to fill in the hours and managed to find some paper on which to doodle. He was trying to capture what he saw as 'the lighter side' of Changi. He began publishing a journal of his cartoons called "Smoke-Oh", which was distributed to men in sick bays. Link

To get caught up in the lighter side of life at Changi it is easy to forget the horrible conditions under which these men were forced to labour on the Burma-Thailand Railway. I recall reading an article where they talked about how each man always attempted to come to the aid of a weaker Soldier while working on the Railway. Each day the men would be forced to endure carrying huge wooden poles that were used in the original framework for the bridge. At times, men weakened from the labour and malnutrition would stumble and falter, unable to continue to carry their loads. When their inability to continue was noticed by their captors, one of the stronger men would tell a joke loudly or sing to draw attention from his comrade to himself, knowingly risking a beating to give the needy Soldier a chance to recover and fall back into step.

I also recall a story of a Soldier who happened upon a pineapple one day while travelling to work on the railway. So determined was he to take that pineapple back to the camp to share with his fellow Soldiers that he placed the pineapple between his legs and worked a full day with it there, rubbing the skin of his thighs red raw. Throughout that day he endured the pain. No way was he going to give up the chance to take that pineapple back to the camp as a treat for those he shared a room with.

The Burma Railway was completed on Oct 16th 1943. At the time of it's completion 2646 Aussies died as a result of malnutrition, disease and forced labour.

The unconditional surrender of the Japanese was announced on August 15^th 1945. For the men who remained at Changi their captivity was over. They were returned to their families in the upcoming weeks on hospital and carrier vessels. It was at this time that many families learnt of the fate of loved ones.

These men had survived conditions I pray none of us will ever even comprehend. Not only did they survive but their spirit endured their captivity. This is truly yet another amazing story from the War History Archives.

A_C

Simpson and his Donkey

This is one of the most inspiring stories to come out of the Gallipoli landing during World War 1.

This is the story of an ordinary man who did extraordinary things in a critical situation. He was a plain private - a stretcher-bearer on Gallipoli. On the day after the landing he found a wandering donkey feeding idly in a gully. He was one of the few men who knew how to handle donkeys, for he had loved them from his childhood. The idea seized his mind that this donkey would be useful to carry men with leg wounds from the forward positions to the casualty station on the Beach. Once he got going there was no stopping him. "The Man With The Donkey" became one of the familiar sights of Anzac. Day after day and into the nights he carried an amazing number of wounded men down the shrapnel-swept valley and saved innumerable lives at the risk, and finally at the cost, of his own. Link

A truly extraordinary story of courage and dedication to duty. In an amazingly short 24 days in Gallipoli, Jack Simpson became a hero, a name still known to todays generation. His life was tragically cut short on the 19th of May 1915 when a machine gunner caught him of guard. An alarm was raised when his Donkey, Murphy, returned to camp without him. In that tragically short time, Simpson and Murphy saved many lives. With Murphy able to carry men will leg wounds on his back, Simpson and Murphy were able to make light work of returning fallen Soldiers to their camp for medical treatment.

The Ambulance Bearer divisions landed with their respective brigades. They took no medical equipment except surgical haversacks and water-bottles. The 3rd Field Ambulance, which had landed with the covering party, had three men killed and fourteen wounded. At daylight they attended to the stricken men on the Beach and then made their way under fire behind the positions captured. Collecting-posts were established. The chorus of praise for the stretcher-bearers came from all men's mouths. The Army Medical Corps had been regarded by some as a soft job. They had been the butt of flippant remarks and dubbed "Linseed Lancers", "Body Snatchers" and other such jovial names. But on the Peninsula wherever the cry "Stretcher-bearers!" went up, day and night they performed miracles of bravery. It was impossible to land transport for the wounded. They had to be carried often for a distance of a mile and a half in a blistering sun and through shrapnel and machine-gun fire. Ask any Australian who were the bravest men at Anzac and you will almost certainly hear the unhesitating answer: "The stretcher-bearers." Link

The only authentic snapshot of John Simpson with his donkey, taken at the foot of Shrapnel Gully
(AWM Memorial Photograph)

One of the things I love most about Australia is how we celebrate our heroes lives. People who make extraordinary sacrifices for others, those who often give their lives to save the lives of people they will never know are not forgotten to us. Jack Simpson is a shining example of that. His ingenuity in catching and using his Donkey to transport injured Soldiers to medical aide deserves to be long remembered in our proud history.

Please take the time to read the whole site dedicated to Simpsons memory. What one man did in 24 short days will lst a lifetime.

A_C

Intro....

Well, I guess a bit of an intro is needed to get me started...

A_C stands for Aussie_Chic. Some of you may already know me by that name. That is what I am, I'm a Proud Aussie. I love everything about being Australian, I love our culture, our easy going ways and our no BS attitudes. I love our history. Our Diggers, our ANZACS. You will find most of my posts dedicated to them. We have one of the proudest fighting traditions in the world, one that continues to this day with our ADF Personnel. Whether they be at home or deployed, they continue to do our great nation proud on a daily basis. For that we should all be truly grateful.

You will find quite alot of History posts. I strongly believe the spirit of our Soldiers today has it's roots in our proud ANZAC traditions. The stories of bravery, often immortalised in film and written about should never, ever be forgotten. The sacrifices made by so many are what make this nation so great. When the chips are down, Aussies always come through for each other.

Even today, through natural disasters and twists of fate, the Aussies will always pass the hat around and help a family or person in need. A BBQ will always guarantee a good turn out at a working bee and the local pub can always come up with some kind of theme night for a fundraiser.

So you will get some history, some currents events. Me screaming and ranting and raving from time to time. But hopefully what you will see is this little Aussie Chic fly the flag with pride.

Aussie Aussie Aussie

A_C