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·         Mrs Flo Kearney [Car-Nee] - Principal, Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School

·         Mr Cameron Thompson – Federal Member for Blair

·         Mr Bernie Rippol – Federal Member for Oxley

·         Ms Rachel Nolan – State Member for Ipswich

·         Councillor Paul Pisasale – Mayor of the City of Ipswich

·         Service Representatives

·         Distinguished guests

·         Boys and girls

 

Good morning to you all and what a privilege it is to be invited here today to take part in your ANZAC ceremony.

 

As I look around I am moved by the sea of bright, expectant, intelligent young faces, shining with the eagerness of those who have so much ahead of them in life.

 

I am moved because some of your faces are almost of the age of many young soldiers who first went to war - teenagers who left their homes in the country and in the city, to fight battles so far away, and who, in many cases, never returned to grow old.

 

I want to tell you the story of one such young man, who did in fact return.

 

On March 13, 1918, Lieutenant F.B. Bethune, Officer Commanding No 1 Section of the Australian 3^rd Machine Gun Company and his men took up positions at Buff Bank in the Messines Sector of France. Bethune’s guns were dangerously exposed and with the safety of that critical part of the line in his hands, Bethune issued the following special orders to his soldiers:

1.                  This position will be held, and the section will remain here until relieved.

2.                  The enemy cannot be allowed to interfere with this program.

3.                  If the section cannot remain here alive, it will remain here dead, but in any case it will remain here.

4.                  Should any man through shell-shock or other cause attempt to surrender, he will remain here dead. (I hasten to add he wrote this in as a bit of a joke.)

5.                  Should all guns be blown out, the section will use Mills grenades and other novelties.

6.                  Finally, the position, as stated, will be held.

 

Fortunately Lieutenant Bethune, (a minister of religion in civilian life) and his men survived their occupation of the post for 18 days, and the position was held.

 

There orders so impressed the higher command that they were promulgated by HQ 1^st Division and other American staffs as a model of courage and determination.

 

But what is it that is so meaningful, indeed inspirational about these clear but blunt orders? First is the recognition by LT Bethune of the critical importance to the whole of the defensive position of his small sector of the front, and his absolute determination, along with his men to remain in that position dead or alive.

 

To remain in location no matter what, dead or alive is a big decision both to make and accept. In the heat of battle the business of living and dying does not come into play as a deliberate, calculated thought process; everyone is too busy fighting.

 

But in the cold light of day before an action commences, an order that says “Here we are and here we stay no matter what”, is far more demanding of that ultimate test of courage; a commitment in advance if you like, to lay down one’s life for the cause.

 

And in that sector, at that time, the possibility of this happening was very real. Remember too that a number of LT Bethune’s men would have been married, and all would have had families; yet selflessly and without hesitation they made an ultimate commitment to themselves and to their leader for the greater good.

 

Included in that commitment too was that no matter whether the primary weapons of the section, the machine guns, were no longer able to fire, Bethune and his men would fight on, using rifles, bayonets, grenades or bare hands. They simply would not give up.

 

And when an Army, Navy, Air Force or civilian population is inspired in this way to not give up when the going gets tough, then we are well on the way to being invincible in war and a very great nation in peace.

 

The second commitment was that of LT Bethune himself to personally take the most exposed area of his section’s position where the danger was greatest and thus set an inspiring example to his men: leading from the front we call it these days.

 

Earlier LT Bethune when shown the position he had to defend, had strongly pointed out that it was a poor site for his machine guns. He was told to get on with it. Latter commonsense prevailed, the order was changed and Bethune was able to move his men to a better tactical site, but still exposed and in great danger.

 

Two things stand out from this. First, Bethune had the moral courage to state his case strongly and reasonably to his superiors, but second, when told to get on with it, he did just that, like any good soldier must do. Fortunately reason and good sense prevailed in the end, when he was allowed to change his position.

 

So why have I chosen to speak about one man and his small group of Australian soldiers, in a battle that took place nearly 90 years ago?

 

Because in this tiny microcosm of what was a huge, ghastly and costly war, we see epitomised in LT Bethune and his men, the fundamental components of what we now proudly call the Australian character; physical and moral courage; a pervading sense of duty; personal and group discipline of the highest order; group camaraderie and loyalty; a sense of humour, and though unsaid, I am sure a spiritual dimension, because men when facing the real possibility of dying, do communicate very readily and very seriously with their maker.

 

And I think it is because Australians deep in their own hearts today, perhaps particularly today, so admire these qualities as displayed by our servicemen and women, that ANZAC Day has such a huge significance to us, including a major impact for the good on our national psyche.

 

Because in times that are now changing rapidly, with people worried about the environment, family dysfunction, the pace of technological change and the great social and economic issues confronting us, it is a realisation that in returning to the basic fundamentals of life as epitomised in the qualities of courage, loyalty, mateship, humour, compassion and the spiritual dimension, we return to values that have stood the test of time in all circumstances - and not just in war but also in peace.

 

And these qualities provided we develop them in our young will not only see us through any difficult times in the future, but also inspire us to reach the full splendid potential of our nation, as a focal point of excellence in everything we do and all that we should stand for.

 

Let us therefore remember with deep gratitude, all that has been given to us by LT Bethune and the million men and women who have borne arms in defence of this nation over the past one hundred years; including the 100,000 young Australians who have paid the supreme sacrifice over that time.

 

It has been because that service and sacrifice has kept Australia genuinely free, that we now enjoy by any standard a very good life; clean air, stable governments, freedom of speech, religion and association, a common language, the rule of law and equal opportunities for all, within an integrated, truly multi-cultured society.

 

So let us commit ourselves on this coming ANZAC morning to do all in our power to follow the inspiring example of LT Bethune and his men and all who have served before and after, to encourage, nurture and utilise those characteristics we proudly identify with being Australian, for by so doing we will not only be invincible in war and a very good nation in peace, but we will in the most positive manner repay our debt to all those who have borne arms in defence of our nation and made the supreme sacrifice in so doing.

 

May I close this short address by reading you a very special poem?

 

I saw a boy marching, with medals on his chest,

He marched alongside Diggers, marching six abreast,

He knew it was Anzac Day, he marched along with pride,

And did his best to keep in step, with the Diggers by his side.

 

And when the march was over, the boy looked rather tired,

A Digger asked, “Whose Medals Son?” to which the boy replied,

“They belong to my Dad, but he didn’t come back,

He died in New Guinea upon the Kokoda Track”.

 

The boy looked rather sad – a tear came to his eye,

But the Digger said, “Don’t worry Son – and I’ll tell you why,

Your Old Man marched with us today, all the bloomin’ way,

All us Diggers knew he was here, it’s like that on Anzac Day.

 

The boy was rather puzzled and he didn’t understand,

But the Digger went on talking, and started to wave his hand,

“For this great land we live in, there’s a price we have to pay,

To keep Australia free, and to fly our Flag today.

 

Yes, we all love fun and merriment, in this country where we live,

But the price was that some soldier, his precious life must give,

For you to go to school, my Son, and worship God as well,

Somebody had to pay the price, so our Diggers paid the bill.

Your Old Man died for us Son, for all things good and true,

I hope that you can understand these words I’ve said to you.”

 

The boy looked up at the Digger, and after a little while,

His face changed expression, and he said with a beautiful smile,

“I know my Dad marched here today, this is our Anzac Day,

I know he did, I know he did, All the bloomin’ way!”

 

Thank you.