During any of the wars that Australian Armed Forces have been active, it is widely known that Aussies are a jocular bunch of people. We can take the piss out of each other and, if it even comes to a brawl(fight, fisticufs), then there would always be a beer shared at the bar to make up. So, for this coming ANZAC DAY, instead of a dreary post on what we all know the atrocities of wartime, I am going to present a history post on a joke, a poem and lastly, the Aussie Slouch Hat.
Beginning with a joke, told to many by veterans....
On some air bases the Air Force is on one side of the field and civilian aircraft use the other side of the field, with the control tower in the middle.
One day the tower received a call from an aircraft asking, "What time is it?"
The tower responded, "Who is calling?"
The aircraft replied, "What difference does it make?"
The tower replied "It makes a lot of difference.
If it is an QANTAS flight, it is 3 o'clock.
If it is an RAAF plane, it is 1500 hours.
If it is a Navy aircraft, it is 6 bells.
If it is an Army aircraft, the big hand is on the 12 and the little hand is on the 3.
If it is a Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft, it's Thursday afternoon."
Following is a poem I found, written anonymously, found in a notebook not that dissimilar to the one my own Grandpa carried with him throughout his occupation in the 2/14th Field Regiment from 1940 to 1946. He served up in Darwin and then over at Papua New Guinea. He had stories, jokes, wishes and even recipes on how to cook meals for an Army of men!!
FRIENDS.
If nobody gave us a helping hand
And nobody seemed to care,
If the prizes of life all went to the strong
and nobody gave us a share.
If nobody had the time to give
A thought to you and me
And we had to struggle as best we could
What a hopeless world 'twould be.
Lending a hand to help the weak
Can lighten another's load,
Giving our best with a willing heart
Can brighten a lonely road.
'Tis something to live for, someone to love
That purpose in life depends,
And there's nothing to equal the gladness and joy
Of making and keeping friends!
If nobody gave us a helping hand
And nobody seemed to care,
If the prizes of life all went to the strong
and nobody gave us a share.
If nobody had the time to give
A thought to you and me
And we had to struggle as best we could
What a hopeless world 'twould be.
Lending a hand to help the weak
Can lighten another's load,
Giving our best with a willing heart
Can brighten a lonely road.
'Tis something to live for, someone to love
That purpose in life depends,
And there's nothing to equal the gladness and joy
Of making and keeping friends!
(Anon)
THE SLOUCH HAT
A symbol of distinction and pride, Australian Soldiers have adorned their heads with the slouch hat with its side turned up. The turned-up side was held in position by means of a hook and eye fastener, and badges were backed with a distinctive cloth rosette in the corps or regimental colour. So, if you were from one section, you would have a certain badge to signify this. The badges have changed over the years, from Boer War to post WW2.
People know when an Aussie soldier is about, whether he is causing a rucous with his jokes, swooning people with his poems or wearing his distinctive slouch hat.
Lest We Forget
