I feel very strongly about making sure those that fought and died in service of Australia should never be forgotten. I think we need to honour their memory, and if we don't it says volumes about us as a society, and none of it good. On the whole I think we do a pretty good job and so when I find out about someone, such as the Poziere Remembrance Association Inc, and find out that they need a bit of extra help I am only too pleased to spread the word for them. The following is some information that they have passed to me and asked me to pass on.
They need your help.
Even if you are not in a position to help, perhaps you could share this post on Facebook or via email with your friends and who knows where that will lead.
THE CENTENARY OF POZIERES (2016)
In
an insane Battle in July 1916, the survivors of Gallipoli, divided into the 1st,
2nd and 4th Divisions, were thrown into battle in Pozières
France.
6
weeks later, all three Divisions had been destroyed, with a loss of life of
7,000 men (4,112 of whom were never found or identified) and 16,000 wounded. This is over 12% of the losses for Australia in the WW1, and it happened in
only 6 weeks.
It is felt that in
the last 99 years these Men have become over shadowed, with all attention
thrown on Gallipoli, Villers, Brettonneux and Fromelles
The
Battle has never been commemorated by Australia, is not taught in our schools,
and is unknown by 90% of Australians. According to the Associations these Men have become “The Other Guys”.
The official Australian historian Charles Bean
described Pozieres as being "more densely sown with Australian sacrifice
than any other spot on earth", yet many Australians are unaware of the
tremendous sacrifice made by the three Australian Divisions.
Please help commemorate this important occasion by
purchasing a brick ($50.00) to assist to build a Memorial Park at Pozieres
to these brave men who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The Park will be built on the land described above.
This land is being sold on the retirement of the Farmer that owns it, and due
to the fact that so many of our missing men still lie within these fields, the Association believes it is critical to protect this land into the future, and
to guarantee that our men that still lie there will be able to rest undisturbed
into the future.
The Pozzieres Association needs the help of 7000 Australians to make the Memorial Park a reality and to
date (Jan 16) they have managed to find 1450.
The
names of every person who buys a brick will be endorsed on the brick, and the
brick will be used to build part of the Park.
Many buyers have opted to remember relatives who fought and survived other
conflicts to die in peacetime.
We
are asking that you go to our web page www.pozieresremembered.com.au read what we are trying to achieve, consider
buying a brick and tell all your friends.
If
you want to know more, please contact Barry or Von on pozieres1916@bigpond.com .
If you wish
to see who supports them to date - please go to http://www.pozieresremembered.com.au/pozieres-memorial-park and check the
tabs on the left.
This is your opportunity to help recognize the
sacrifice of these men in their Centenary, and to protect this land that is
still the resting place of so many of our brave men.
As these men are being recognized by Australia
for the first in 100 years, we want to make the Centenary of Pozières an
unforgettable event and with you help they can achieve this.
Barry and Von have been out and about raising money wherever they can and have managed to raise enough money to cover the cost of bricks for each of the men who have been killed in Afghanistan. What a wonderful tribute to honour these modern heroes whilst honouring those that went before them. I am also humbled to say that a brick will be placed in the name of Aussie Heroes and also, even more humbling, in my name as the founder of Aussie Heroes.
Big news is that Suzuki have donated a Suzuki
Celerio (Car) to give away to someone who buys a brick in the period 1 Jan 16 – 21 Apr 16.
Every brick buyer gets a ticket in the draw, and
it will be drawn at the Melbourne Storm vs Warriors match on ANZAC Day.
So, please, if you can, how about buying a brick or sharing this post. Surely it can't be too hard to find a few more Aussies who can support this cause.
Til next time..................keep spreading the word and happy stitching.
Cheers
Jan-Maree
Barry and Von are really working hard to make this happen Jan-Maree, and it seems that they are running into a number of brick walls from some quarters which would surprise you.
ReplyDeleteAs at Tuesday morning 9th February Barry (President of the Pozieres Remembrance Assn.) will have written to every Politician in Australia both State and Federal.
He has asked them to purchase a brick in the Memorial Park to help protect the land in which our Soldiers lie.
These Men came from every electorate in Australia and their descendants are the constituents of today’s Politicians
Check out his web page on this link http://www.pozieresremembered.com.au/pozieres-memorial-park/politicians/ over the next few weeks to see if your local Member (Federal and State) are prepared to help.
As you indicate above, in the fighting at Pozières, around the Windmill, and northwards along the ridge towards Mouquet Farm, the AIF suffered more than 23,000 casualties in little more than six weeks, between 23 July and 5 September 1916.
On 11 November 1993, soil from the Windmill site was cast over the coffin of Australia’s Unknown Soldier during his funeral at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra
It seems appropriate for the Australian Government to facilitate the extension of the site of the initial purchase of the Windmill site in 1932.
There is no doubt that some of the 4,000 who died during this battle and who have no known grave, lie beneath those fields, and Barry has made presentations to state and local government representatives in most states, of bayonets and various items that have been recovered from these fields.
Pennie and I will be traveling to France in July to attend the centenary commemorations at Fromelles and Pozieres