Ban on families in Anzac Day march

[wagon]

CHILDREN will be officially banned from walking with their relatives in Brisbane's Anzac Day march, as the organisers of Adelaide's commemoration also warn high numbers of next of kin are intruding on veterans and diminishing the occasion.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/ban-on-families-in-anzac-day-march/story-e6frf7l6-1225837817884

I think it's a bit heavy-handed. Discuss.

[spoonkilr]

It sounds harsh but they do have a point. I agree that having relatives mixed in with veterans does take away from showing our appreciation, and more so now that our WW2 veterans numbers are dwindling. A link to a related article also mentioned the poor dress standard of the relatives marching, something that also needs attention.

[Opening Batsman]

Makes sense to me, I've never been a great fan of seeing all the relatives. Yeah it is great that they are proud and all that (and they can still show that), but the march itself should be for the vets in my opinion.

[2495]

Families should remember it is not 'their' day. It is for honouring men and women who fought. These are the ever dwindling number of veterans whom we need to show appreciation to. Fine, if a veteran is in a wheel chair or needs aid, sure, have a member of the family with him. However, do not attend to bask in reflected glory - be there before, at the sides during, and take them home afterwards. thats the support they need.

As for turning up scruffy... FFS some poeple have no respect what so ever.

[rolls]

Makes sense to me, I've never been a great fan of seeing all the relatives. Yeah it is great that they are proud and all that (and they can still show that), but the march itself should be for the vets in my opinion.


So who marches when there all dead and gone?


If there marching in memory of (and usually with medals to boot) then i think all should march.No group not even the RSL has the right to tell the familys they cannot. Very un-Australian.

[custodes]

Here in the States, families watch the parade.Not march in it with the vets. Although, we do have large herds of scouts and brownies and soccer teams.They are really annoying too and one can't call it marching. Sachet-ing maybe.If that's a word.They march with each other though, not with the veterans.Families should be cheering.

[Opening Batsman]

So who marches when there all dead and gone?


If there marching in memory of (and usually with medals to boot) then i think all should march.No group not even the RSL has the right to tell the familys they cannot. Very un-Australian.

The new ones?

Anyway as it says in the article, there are sections of the parade set aside for the families instead of having them in among the vets.

[digrar]

So who marches when there all dead and gone?


If there marching in memory of (and usually with medals to boot) then i think all should march.No group not even the RSL has the right to tell the familys they cannot. Very un-Australian.

Well I'm not planning on dying yet, the WW1 diggers have all passed on and yet there are still plenty of veterans marching, we must have near on 20,000 veterans from the conflicts of the last 20 years with more to come and there are still tens of thousands of Viet Nam vets.
The kids can stand to the side and watch, they'll get just as much out of it and they can still wear pops medals on the right hand side.

[rolls]

Do you fear an uprising of posers? Or do you feel that adequate credit is not going to the vets with extended familys marching (in honour of)?

Ive always felt it was a solemn reminder to see regular joes marching with grandpas medals or what not (alongside). By marching in there place there marching in spirit with those vets who are still with us.

2 seperate columns just seems somewhat out of spirit, But thats just my opionion. Either way as long as there a thousands on the street to watch it will be a good day.

[T3ngu]

Makes sense to me, I've never been a great fan of seeing all the relatives. Yeah it is great that they are proud and all that (and they can still show that), but the march itself should be for the vets in my opinion.
Same.

I can see the benefit in children Marching with their grandparents, or great grand parents.. My grandfather never marched up until the day he died. But it is important for youngsters to see the appreciation the Australian population has for the returned servicemen.

However, when the old diggers pass, i personally think it cheapens their sacrifice by having their family members march in their place. I only say this because a number of occasions stick to mind where slovenly family members shuffle along, almost dawdling, compared to the proud march of the returned servicemen. When i save slovenly, i do not use this term lightly. It really does cheapen the day.

By the way, ANZAC day and the period leading up to it is my favourite time of the year. It gives everyone the chance to think about the sacrifice of servicemen and servicewomen to this point in time. It gives me a chance to sit with my kids and discuss our family members service. My kids are lucky, they had a great grandfather who served at Gallipoli (eventually got sent home with "rheumatism"), one great grandfather who served in the RAAF as a WO running a RS unit, and five great uncles on my wifes side who all served, with four of the five seeing active duty outside Australia. On my mums side, my Grandfather served in a civilian capacity, and 3 of my mums uncles all served outside of the country with the army (uncle Len served with the somewhat famous 2/1 Machine gun battalion). Interestingly, two of my mums other uncles were pilots with the RAAF flying spitfires, one of whom is still alive.

[Hando]

I am inclined to agree on banning relatives, by all means, if your family agrees to let you wear grandad's WWI medals then do so on ANZAC day with pride. But until you wear the uniform, don't march.

Last year at our local (Rockingham) march, not only did the veterans march (being a navy town, a lot of people could) but the march also included police, ambos, SES, Firies, hell anyone with a work uniform seemed to be involved which -personally- cheapened it for me.
I am not THAT old but even I remember as a young bloke watching the news about the political storm that was the Vietnam Veterans Vs. The RSL in regards to marching on ANZAC day. It almost seems that they won too damn well and the RSL wont tell anyone no these days.