TA for our wonderful IMU, page-41

Everything we should be grateful for today.

The memories for these Men & Women never leave them, sometimes they don’t want to talk about it (war). We have original photos from a brown box camera from Egypt during WW2 (Tobruk)...some are smiley photos with locals, camels & donkeys & the pyramids, others of cadavers & something you wouldn’t want your kids to see.

So you can understand why your Pop & Grandpa didn’t want to tell you about the war stories.

My Nan who is 101 years old this year was giving birth to her first child underneath a kitchen table during a bombing raid in the UK while her husband OS on service. The stories of rationing coupons, making ends meet & basically surviving as best you can are very poignant to me, as well as the war stories, that were rarely forthcoming.

I have looked after quite a few Vets who didn’t want anything to do with ANZAC day or the memories. If they were well enough for gate leave for the day & in hospital at the time, we would get their family to bring in their suit & medals & give them a an early shower & shave & pamper them to feel good for the March, organise a wheelchair if that was their wish. Some didn’t want that at all & hadn’t participated in prior years as the memories were just too much.

Fast forward to today, I have younger friends who have served in the Middle East & have come home with PTSD. They go off as fresh faced young people, ready to do their best & come home with bad dreams & memories & never will be the same again. But with support, there can be healing.

We are so lucky, be grateful for what we have.

Lest We Forget