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The Advertiser
2 days ago
- General
- The Advertiser
Lessons 'not learnt' 80 years on from World War II
Memories of those who have served and those who fell before the end of the Second World War have been carried forward, 80 years on. Services across the nation marked the Victory in the Pacific anniversary on Friday, with commemorations held at the Sydney Cenotaph, the National War Memorial in Canberra, the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, the State War Memorial in Perth and the National War Memorial in Adelaide. Braving frosty conditions, Maureen Bell, from Brighton in Melbourne's southeast, commemorated her father Bert Jones' memory, proudly wearing his war medals at the Shrine. She remembered her dad as one of many who never talked seriously about the war, instead telling funny stories of his service to ease the memory of terrible times. "He said he was called Screamer because they would play AFL football in New Guinea and he'd jump up and take a mark and everybody would say that was a screamer of a mark," she reminisced. "But I found out decades later that dad was called Screamer because he was really loud." Ms Bell said she was proud of her dad's legacy, but lamented the human race hasn't learnt from past mistakes. "It's important to honour those that have gone before us and made incredible sacrifices, endured horrendous torture and sadness, but we don't seem to learn from it," she told AAP. "We keep doing it unfortunately." Phil Ward attended the Sydney service to honour his father's legacy in the 2/20th battalion in Singapore, having survived internment and the Burma railway. The commemorations represented the "enduring gratitude" to those who defend our freedoms, Mr Ward said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked VP Day, when Japan accepted the Allied forces' terms of surrender sparking the end of World War II, by paying tribute to soldiers' courage and the stories of endless longing for the home many never saw again. Almost one million Australians served in uniform during the war, but 40,000 never got to see its conclusion. About 66,000 were wounded, while many thousands more became prisoners of war, with 8000 dying in captivity. "Every life and dream and future swallowed in that vortex of madness and cruelty, from every battlefield and every burning city, from the prisoner of war camps to the unprecedented horror of the concentration camps," Mr Albanese said. "These were nightmares made real - not by monsters but by human beings in a grotesque perversion of humanity." Despite the jubilation that came from the victory, there was also sorrow for those who perished. RSL Victoria President Mark Schroffel said there were countless unsung heroes who never returned home to tell their stories or had the chance to have a family. "That's particularly sad for them, and hopefully what we're doing today will help preserve their memory," he said. "The sacrifice and the loss was a terrible time for the world and we need to remember that even though a victory was declared, nobody really wins." Australia played a significant role in the Pacific during World War II, fighting against Japan from 1941 to 1945. Initially, Australian forces engaged in campaigns in Malaya and Singapore. After the bombing of Darwin in February 1942, the focus shifted to defending the Australian mainland and supporting the US-led counteroffensive in the Pacific. Federal Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said the day marked the end of a great darkness - brought on by the most devastating global conflict in human history. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046 Memories of those who have served and those who fell before the end of the Second World War have been carried forward, 80 years on. Services across the nation marked the Victory in the Pacific anniversary on Friday, with commemorations held at the Sydney Cenotaph, the National War Memorial in Canberra, the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, the State War Memorial in Perth and the National War Memorial in Adelaide. Braving frosty conditions, Maureen Bell, from Brighton in Melbourne's southeast, commemorated her father Bert Jones' memory, proudly wearing his war medals at the Shrine. She remembered her dad as one of many who never talked seriously about the war, instead telling funny stories of his service to ease the memory of terrible times. "He said he was called Screamer because they would play AFL football in New Guinea and he'd jump up and take a mark and everybody would say that was a screamer of a mark," she reminisced. "But I found out decades later that dad was called Screamer because he was really loud." Ms Bell said she was proud of her dad's legacy, but lamented the human race hasn't learnt from past mistakes. "It's important to honour those that have gone before us and made incredible sacrifices, endured horrendous torture and sadness, but we don't seem to learn from it," she told AAP. "We keep doing it unfortunately." Phil Ward attended the Sydney service to honour his father's legacy in the 2/20th battalion in Singapore, having survived internment and the Burma railway. The commemorations represented the "enduring gratitude" to those who defend our freedoms, Mr Ward said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked VP Day, when Japan accepted the Allied forces' terms of surrender sparking the end of World War II, by paying tribute to soldiers' courage and the stories of endless longing for the home many never saw again. Almost one million Australians served in uniform during the war, but 40,000 never got to see its conclusion. About 66,000 were wounded, while many thousands more became prisoners of war, with 8000 dying in captivity. "Every life and dream and future swallowed in that vortex of madness and cruelty, from every battlefield and every burning city, from the prisoner of war camps to the unprecedented horror of the concentration camps," Mr Albanese said. "These were nightmares made real - not by monsters but by human beings in a grotesque perversion of humanity." Despite the jubilation that came from the victory, there was also sorrow for those who perished. RSL Victoria President Mark Schroffel said there were countless unsung heroes who never returned home to tell their stories or had the chance to have a family. "That's particularly sad for them, and hopefully what we're doing today will help preserve their memory," he said. "The sacrifice and the loss was a terrible time for the world and we need to remember that even though a victory was declared, nobody really wins." Australia played a significant role in the Pacific during World War II, fighting against Japan from 1941 to 1945. Initially, Australian forces engaged in campaigns in Malaya and Singapore. After the bombing of Darwin in February 1942, the focus shifted to defending the Australian mainland and supporting the US-led counteroffensive in the Pacific. Federal Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said the day marked the end of a great darkness - brought on by the most devastating global conflict in human history. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046 Memories of those who have served and those who fell before the end of the Second World War have been carried forward, 80 years on. Services across the nation marked the Victory in the Pacific anniversary on Friday, with commemorations held at the Sydney Cenotaph, the National War Memorial in Canberra, the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, the State War Memorial in Perth and the National War Memorial in Adelaide. Braving frosty conditions, Maureen Bell, from Brighton in Melbourne's southeast, commemorated her father Bert Jones' memory, proudly wearing his war medals at the Shrine. She remembered her dad as one of many who never talked seriously about the war, instead telling funny stories of his service to ease the memory of terrible times. "He said he was called Screamer because they would play AFL football in New Guinea and he'd jump up and take a mark and everybody would say that was a screamer of a mark," she reminisced. "But I found out decades later that dad was called Screamer because he was really loud." Ms Bell said she was proud of her dad's legacy, but lamented the human race hasn't learnt from past mistakes. "It's important to honour those that have gone before us and made incredible sacrifices, endured horrendous torture and sadness, but we don't seem to learn from it," she told AAP. "We keep doing it unfortunately." Phil Ward attended the Sydney service to honour his father's legacy in the 2/20th battalion in Singapore, having survived internment and the Burma railway. The commemorations represented the "enduring gratitude" to those who defend our freedoms, Mr Ward said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked VP Day, when Japan accepted the Allied forces' terms of surrender sparking the end of World War II, by paying tribute to soldiers' courage and the stories of endless longing for the home many never saw again. Almost one million Australians served in uniform during the war, but 40,000 never got to see its conclusion. About 66,000 were wounded, while many thousands more became prisoners of war, with 8000 dying in captivity. "Every life and dream and future swallowed in that vortex of madness and cruelty, from every battlefield and every burning city, from the prisoner of war camps to the unprecedented horror of the concentration camps," Mr Albanese said. "These were nightmares made real - not by monsters but by human beings in a grotesque perversion of humanity." Despite the jubilation that came from the victory, there was also sorrow for those who perished. RSL Victoria President Mark Schroffel said there were countless unsung heroes who never returned home to tell their stories or had the chance to have a family. "That's particularly sad for them, and hopefully what we're doing today will help preserve their memory," he said. "The sacrifice and the loss was a terrible time for the world and we need to remember that even though a victory was declared, nobody really wins." Australia played a significant role in the Pacific during World War II, fighting against Japan from 1941 to 1945. Initially, Australian forces engaged in campaigns in Malaya and Singapore. After the bombing of Darwin in February 1942, the focus shifted to defending the Australian mainland and supporting the US-led counteroffensive in the Pacific. Federal Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said the day marked the end of a great darkness - brought on by the most devastating global conflict in human history. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046 Memories of those who have served and those who fell before the end of the Second World War have been carried forward, 80 years on. Services across the nation marked the Victory in the Pacific anniversary on Friday, with commemorations held at the Sydney Cenotaph, the National War Memorial in Canberra, the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, the State War Memorial in Perth and the National War Memorial in Adelaide. Braving frosty conditions, Maureen Bell, from Brighton in Melbourne's southeast, commemorated her father Bert Jones' memory, proudly wearing his war medals at the Shrine. She remembered her dad as one of many who never talked seriously about the war, instead telling funny stories of his service to ease the memory of terrible times. "He said he was called Screamer because they would play AFL football in New Guinea and he'd jump up and take a mark and everybody would say that was a screamer of a mark," she reminisced. "But I found out decades later that dad was called Screamer because he was really loud." Ms Bell said she was proud of her dad's legacy, but lamented the human race hasn't learnt from past mistakes. "It's important to honour those that have gone before us and made incredible sacrifices, endured horrendous torture and sadness, but we don't seem to learn from it," she told AAP. "We keep doing it unfortunately." Phil Ward attended the Sydney service to honour his father's legacy in the 2/20th battalion in Singapore, having survived internment and the Burma railway. The commemorations represented the "enduring gratitude" to those who defend our freedoms, Mr Ward said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked VP Day, when Japan accepted the Allied forces' terms of surrender sparking the end of World War II, by paying tribute to soldiers' courage and the stories of endless longing for the home many never saw again. Almost one million Australians served in uniform during the war, but 40,000 never got to see its conclusion. About 66,000 were wounded, while many thousands more became prisoners of war, with 8000 dying in captivity. "Every life and dream and future swallowed in that vortex of madness and cruelty, from every battlefield and every burning city, from the prisoner of war camps to the unprecedented horror of the concentration camps," Mr Albanese said. "These were nightmares made real - not by monsters but by human beings in a grotesque perversion of humanity." Despite the jubilation that came from the victory, there was also sorrow for those who perished. RSL Victoria President Mark Schroffel said there were countless unsung heroes who never returned home to tell their stories or had the chance to have a family. "That's particularly sad for them, and hopefully what we're doing today will help preserve their memory," he said. "The sacrifice and the loss was a terrible time for the world and we need to remember that even though a victory was declared, nobody really wins." Australia played a significant role in the Pacific during World War II, fighting against Japan from 1941 to 1945. Initially, Australian forces engaged in campaigns in Malaya and Singapore. After the bombing of Darwin in February 1942, the focus shifted to defending the Australian mainland and supporting the US-led counteroffensive in the Pacific. Federal Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said the day marked the end of a great darkness - brought on by the most devastating global conflict in human history. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- General
- The Advertiser
World War II: 80 years since 'nightmares made real'
Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to war veterans as he joined thousands across the nation to commemorate 80 years since the end of the Second World War. The prime minister's address at the Sydney Cenotaph on Friday touched on the the words his wartime predecessor Ben Chifley had uttered to the nation on August 15, 1945: "fellow citizens, the war is over". "It was a sentence of perfect simplicity, but infinite power," Mr Albanese said. On the 80th Victory in the Pacific Day, when Japan accepted the terms of surrender to the Allied forces sparking the end of World War II, Mr Albanese paid tribute to all the stories of courage, resilience, exhaustion, fear and elation and the endless longing for the home so many never saw again. Almost one million Australians served in uniform during the war, but some 40,000 never got to see its conclusion. About 66,000 were wounded, while many thousands more became prisoners of war, with 8000 dying in captivity. "Every life and dream and future swallowed in that vortex of madness and cruelty, from every battlefield and every burning city, from the prisoner of war camps to the unprecedented horror of the concentration camps," Mr Albanese said. "These were nightmares made real - not by monsters but by human beings in a grotesque perversion of humanity." One of those stories, of country boy Frederick Balfe Emanuel, who flew a B-24 bomber over Borneo in July 1945 but did not live long enough to witness the end of the war, was honoured on Friday. At age 22, Emanuel enlisted in the Australian army, serving in New Guinea before joining the Far Eastern Liaison Office, where he participated in dangerous reconnaissance missions. "His story is a heartbreaking reminder of how close some came to seeing peace yet never returned home," memorial director Matt Anderson said. Commemorative services were held across the nation to mark Victory in the Pacific Day, including at the Sydney Cenotaph, the National War Memorial in Canberra, the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne and a fly-past over the National War Memorial in Adelaide. Federal Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said the day marked the end of a great darkness - brought on by the most devastating global conflict in human history. Australia played a significant role in the Pacific during World War II, fighting against Japan from 1941 to 1945. Initially, Australian forces engaged in campaigns in Malaya and Singapore. After the bombing of Darwin in February 1942, the focus shifted to defending the Australian mainland and supporting the US-led counteroffensive in the Pacific. RSL national president Greg Melick said the occasion was an important time to recognise the sacrifices of so many fallen soldiers. "The end of the war brought heartache for many families when, after years of waiting for news of the missing, they were told that their loved ones were not coming home," Mr Melick said. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046 Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to war veterans as he joined thousands across the nation to commemorate 80 years since the end of the Second World War. The prime minister's address at the Sydney Cenotaph on Friday touched on the the words his wartime predecessor Ben Chifley had uttered to the nation on August 15, 1945: "fellow citizens, the war is over". "It was a sentence of perfect simplicity, but infinite power," Mr Albanese said. On the 80th Victory in the Pacific Day, when Japan accepted the terms of surrender to the Allied forces sparking the end of World War II, Mr Albanese paid tribute to all the stories of courage, resilience, exhaustion, fear and elation and the endless longing for the home so many never saw again. Almost one million Australians served in uniform during the war, but some 40,000 never got to see its conclusion. About 66,000 were wounded, while many thousands more became prisoners of war, with 8000 dying in captivity. "Every life and dream and future swallowed in that vortex of madness and cruelty, from every battlefield and every burning city, from the prisoner of war camps to the unprecedented horror of the concentration camps," Mr Albanese said. "These were nightmares made real - not by monsters but by human beings in a grotesque perversion of humanity." One of those stories, of country boy Frederick Balfe Emanuel, who flew a B-24 bomber over Borneo in July 1945 but did not live long enough to witness the end of the war, was honoured on Friday. At age 22, Emanuel enlisted in the Australian army, serving in New Guinea before joining the Far Eastern Liaison Office, where he participated in dangerous reconnaissance missions. "His story is a heartbreaking reminder of how close some came to seeing peace yet never returned home," memorial director Matt Anderson said. Commemorative services were held across the nation to mark Victory in the Pacific Day, including at the Sydney Cenotaph, the National War Memorial in Canberra, the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne and a fly-past over the National War Memorial in Adelaide. Federal Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said the day marked the end of a great darkness - brought on by the most devastating global conflict in human history. Australia played a significant role in the Pacific during World War II, fighting against Japan from 1941 to 1945. Initially, Australian forces engaged in campaigns in Malaya and Singapore. After the bombing of Darwin in February 1942, the focus shifted to defending the Australian mainland and supporting the US-led counteroffensive in the Pacific. RSL national president Greg Melick said the occasion was an important time to recognise the sacrifices of so many fallen soldiers. "The end of the war brought heartache for many families when, after years of waiting for news of the missing, they were told that their loved ones were not coming home," Mr Melick said. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046 Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to war veterans as he joined thousands across the nation to commemorate 80 years since the end of the Second World War. The prime minister's address at the Sydney Cenotaph on Friday touched on the the words his wartime predecessor Ben Chifley had uttered to the nation on August 15, 1945: "fellow citizens, the war is over". "It was a sentence of perfect simplicity, but infinite power," Mr Albanese said. On the 80th Victory in the Pacific Day, when Japan accepted the terms of surrender to the Allied forces sparking the end of World War II, Mr Albanese paid tribute to all the stories of courage, resilience, exhaustion, fear and elation and the endless longing for the home so many never saw again. Almost one million Australians served in uniform during the war, but some 40,000 never got to see its conclusion. About 66,000 were wounded, while many thousands more became prisoners of war, with 8000 dying in captivity. "Every life and dream and future swallowed in that vortex of madness and cruelty, from every battlefield and every burning city, from the prisoner of war camps to the unprecedented horror of the concentration camps," Mr Albanese said. "These were nightmares made real - not by monsters but by human beings in a grotesque perversion of humanity." One of those stories, of country boy Frederick Balfe Emanuel, who flew a B-24 bomber over Borneo in July 1945 but did not live long enough to witness the end of the war, was honoured on Friday. At age 22, Emanuel enlisted in the Australian army, serving in New Guinea before joining the Far Eastern Liaison Office, where he participated in dangerous reconnaissance missions. "His story is a heartbreaking reminder of how close some came to seeing peace yet never returned home," memorial director Matt Anderson said. Commemorative services were held across the nation to mark Victory in the Pacific Day, including at the Sydney Cenotaph, the National War Memorial in Canberra, the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne and a fly-past over the National War Memorial in Adelaide. Federal Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said the day marked the end of a great darkness - brought on by the most devastating global conflict in human history. Australia played a significant role in the Pacific during World War II, fighting against Japan from 1941 to 1945. Initially, Australian forces engaged in campaigns in Malaya and Singapore. After the bombing of Darwin in February 1942, the focus shifted to defending the Australian mainland and supporting the US-led counteroffensive in the Pacific. RSL national president Greg Melick said the occasion was an important time to recognise the sacrifices of so many fallen soldiers. "The end of the war brought heartache for many families when, after years of waiting for news of the missing, they were told that their loved ones were not coming home," Mr Melick said. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046 Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to war veterans as he joined thousands across the nation to commemorate 80 years since the end of the Second World War. The prime minister's address at the Sydney Cenotaph on Friday touched on the the words his wartime predecessor Ben Chifley had uttered to the nation on August 15, 1945: "fellow citizens, the war is over". "It was a sentence of perfect simplicity, but infinite power," Mr Albanese said. On the 80th Victory in the Pacific Day, when Japan accepted the terms of surrender to the Allied forces sparking the end of World War II, Mr Albanese paid tribute to all the stories of courage, resilience, exhaustion, fear and elation and the endless longing for the home so many never saw again. Almost one million Australians served in uniform during the war, but some 40,000 never got to see its conclusion. About 66,000 were wounded, while many thousands more became prisoners of war, with 8000 dying in captivity. "Every life and dream and future swallowed in that vortex of madness and cruelty, from every battlefield and every burning city, from the prisoner of war camps to the unprecedented horror of the concentration camps," Mr Albanese said. "These were nightmares made real - not by monsters but by human beings in a grotesque perversion of humanity." One of those stories, of country boy Frederick Balfe Emanuel, who flew a B-24 bomber over Borneo in July 1945 but did not live long enough to witness the end of the war, was honoured on Friday. At age 22, Emanuel enlisted in the Australian army, serving in New Guinea before joining the Far Eastern Liaison Office, where he participated in dangerous reconnaissance missions. "His story is a heartbreaking reminder of how close some came to seeing peace yet never returned home," memorial director Matt Anderson said. Commemorative services were held across the nation to mark Victory in the Pacific Day, including at the Sydney Cenotaph, the National War Memorial in Canberra, the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne and a fly-past over the National War Memorial in Adelaide. Federal Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said the day marked the end of a great darkness - brought on by the most devastating global conflict in human history. Australia played a significant role in the Pacific during World War II, fighting against Japan from 1941 to 1945. Initially, Australian forces engaged in campaigns in Malaya and Singapore. After the bombing of Darwin in February 1942, the focus shifted to defending the Australian mainland and supporting the US-led counteroffensive in the Pacific. RSL national president Greg Melick said the occasion was an important time to recognise the sacrifices of so many fallen soldiers. "The end of the war brought heartache for many families when, after years of waiting for news of the missing, they were told that their loved ones were not coming home," Mr Melick said. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046
