The Anzac Spirit

by Col Stringer

April, 2007

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."
(John 15:13)

What does the word 'Anzac' really mean to this modern generation?

I believe we are in danger of losing much of our heritage in this nation. Fortunately, one of the brightest stars in our heaven is the resurgence of the 'Anzac Spirit'.

One only has to observe the number of young Aussies flocking to Gallipoli on Anzac Day to see how much alive the 'Anzac Spirit' is in this great country.

In fact even the threat of terrorism failed to deter thousands of young men (and women) from making their 'pilgrimage' to the battlefield where our young nation passed its 'rite-of-passage'.

We were just 13 years of age as a nation at the time WW1 broke out.

The words of John Williamson's song 'True Blue' seem to be proving chillingly accurate in modern Australia.

Hey True Blue,
don't say you've gone
Say you've knocked off for a smoko,
And you'll be back later on
Hey True Blue,

Give it to me straight,
face to face
Are you really disappearing, Just another dying race,
Hey True Blue.

True Blue, is it me and you?
Is it Mum and Dad, is it a cockatoo?
Is it standing by your mate when he's in a fight?
Or will she be right?
True Blue, I'm asking you...

Hey True Blue, 'Is your heart still there?
If they sell us out like sponge cake,
Do you really care?
Hey True Blue. True Blue, I'm asking you... *

(* True Blue, written by John Willamson. Reproduced by permission of Emusic Pty Ltd)

The New Anzac Generation?

I saw Prime Minister John Howard interviewed on the beaches of Gallipoli several years ago, he was amazed at the number of young Aussies turning up. "I don't understand it!" he said. "The more time passes the Anzac Spirit seems more important to the younger generation!"

I can tell him why. These young men admire their Anzac forefathers and are desperately looking for positive role models - heroes - men to believe in. In 2005 over 20,000 made the pilgrimage to Gallipoli.

Let me quote 'The Australian' April 26th 2005.

"The beachfront was filled with young people, draped in their national colours, wearing their flags like costumes; the steep sandy ridges had been occupied by a new generation of Australians. In Turkey, the thousands of young Australians who have turned this occasion into a coming of age rite over recent years...Their mood was one of reflection, patriotic enthusiasm, respect."

What better example for young Aussies. There is a reason why there is a huge resurgence of interest in the 'Anzac Spirit' and the magnificent Light Horsemen, it touches the heart of every red-blooded Aussie.

Imagine the possibilities if the Church could harness the Anzac Spirit? We could take the nation for the Lord!

There is a Scripture in Micah 6:8 which I believe adequately sums up the Anzac Spirit. God Himself gives us the answer to the question asked, 'what is a man'. It says:

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; and
what does the Lord require of you.
But to do justly, to love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?"

1. 'To do justly'

Or as we would say in Aussie, 'fair go mate'. If anything sums up the spirit of the Aussie Digger it was to give everyone a fair go. This feature can be observed among the young Light Horsemen in their liberation of Jerusalem from hundreds of years of Muslim rule. I have spoken to Jews who were there at the time - or whose fathers were - and I've read countless books and articles on the subject. They all say the same thing. "No one treated us better than the Aussies!"

There was very little anti-Semitic spirit among our Anzac forefathers. Most of the European troops still suffered from strong anti-Jewish sentiments, but not the young Aussie Light Horsemen! "The Aussies ate with us, drank with us, shared with us, and lived with us. They treated us like equals!" Wrote one Jewish soldier who served with the Anzacs. Even captured enemy spoke favourably of their treatment at the hands of these young Diggers. To this day a bond still exists between the Aussies and their former Turkish enemies from WW1. The same thing is apparent in modern conflicts, Vietnam, Iraq, Timor etc. Former SAS commander Duncan Lewis summed up the compassion of the Anzacs this way;

"I think the thing that sets the Australian soldier apart is humanity. That's the most important thing. They're human beings and they treat other people that they come across, whether they be friend, or foe or neutral, as human beings. They've shown amazing degrees of compassion to those in need." (The Spirit of the Digger).

My son Mark served in Timor, there many of the young Diggers would devote their weekends to rebuilding schools, kindergartens etc. because they were appalled at the devastation they saw. It was the same after the Tsunami hit the Indonesian coast. Not only were our troops first into the place but we offered the largest amount of help and aid!

My Grandfather broke in horses for the Light Horse and one of the things that sticks in my mind most about him was that he was a bloke that would give you a "fair go!" It is a uniquely Aussie phrase that sums up the Anzac Spirit well.

Australians have long favoured the underdog and are quick to say so. Take the situation with Pauline Hanson who (I believe) was unfairly jailed. I, like many other Australians, opposed her political views, but thought that she had been given a raw deal, a rough trot and was unfairly treated. How many times did we hear the term "fair go" when her name was raised?

In a recent survey 80% of those interviewed stated that they would vote for her in an election. Why? Because people agreed with her policies? Not necessarily. But because almost to a man they believe in the Aussie way of giving people a 'fair go mate!'

In the T.V series 'Dancing With The Stars' Hanson survived to the final night, she was one of the last two couples. How come? Anybody with half a brain could see that she had about as much rhythm as a goose in a thunderstorm, but she was never voted out? How come? I'll tell you why, because most Aussies thought she had guts enough to have a go in spite of one of the judges giving her a hard time. Result? The public decided that they would vote for the under-dog and give her what all Aussies believe in - a 'fair go mate'!

God translates it this way - "to do justly".

2. "To love mercy'.

As our Anzac Light Horsemen forefathers advanced deeper into the Holy Land, liberating the Jewish people from hundreds of years of Muslim control, a deep affection began to develop between them and the local Jewish population. These Aussies did not suffer from the same "class distinction" that dogged the British. Australians have always championed and firmly believed in looking out for the 'underdog'. H. S. Gullett writes in "The A.I.F. In Sinai and Palestine":

"The unwarlike natives, and especially the Christian Copts, looked upon them (the Australian Light Horsemen) as defenders against the fierce raiders of the desert, and treated them with kindness and hospitality. When the time came for their withdrawal the villagers expressed sharp regret. 'Our children will remember the Australians in their prayers....'

Despite the barriers of blood and speech and faith, the Jews grew fond of these big Australians on their big horses, discovering that beneath their terrible aspect they were gentle and chivalrous young men with a clean, brave outlook and an unfailing respect for all that was good and just in life.... when the three regiments saddled up in the dawn, their lines were thronged with Jewish families, who were aware that fighting was ahead, and exaggerating in their timid minds the horrors of war, shed tears as they bade farewell to their favourite troopers, pressed upon them little parting gifts, and wished them God speed. Deeply and severely religious as many of these people were, there was something very moving in the blessings they invoked."

A special bond had developed between the Jewish soldiers and the Anzacs.

The Vietnam War

If one studies any conflict from Vietnam to Iraq one thing stands out - how the Aussie Diggers tried to build relationships with the locals.

In Vietnam our men were held in very high regard even by the enemy - the Viet Cong - not only because of their fighting capabilities but because of their sense of fair play and mercy. These young Anzacs were never defeated in battle, even the battle of Long Tan, where 108 Diggers of D Company were surrounded by 2500 Viet Cong, mainly battle hardened veterans.

During the battle wave after wave of enemy troops were thrown back by these gallant young Aussies resulting in them inflicting huge casualties.

One officer, Ross Smith summed up the action this way: "….the comradeship, the valour …..the legend of Anzac upheld." But the young Anzacs were also held in high esteem by their Vietnamese foes because of their humanity, as this extract from 'The Battle of Long Tan' shows:

"It took three days to bury them (Viet Cong dead), with the constant hum of flies around. Burial was for humane reasons, and for hygiene. Captured VC documents later showed respect for the Australians because they buried the dead at Long Tan.

The document said: "They buried our dead, they are a true enemy".

In both World Wars the Germans also respected our men. One moment the Aussie Diggers were fearless, battle hardened opponents fighting tooth and nail. But once the battle was over they were the first to help the wounded with a kind word, a smoke or a drink of water.

Again let's go back to the story of the Light Horsemen. The young Anzac troopers were often touched and moved by compassion as to take some action. One particular event that stands out in my mind was when the Anzac forces were being pushed back from Amman by the Turks. As the Australians entered the city the local Christian and Jewish population went wild with excitement, much to the disapproval of the local Arabs who watched the celebrations with sullen disdain.

When the Turks prevailed in a counter-attack and the Anzacs were being forced to withdraw, the Christians and Jews feared for their very lives and so began to pack what belongings they could carry and fled with the retreating Light Horsemen. The night was bitterly cold and wet; the road they followed was steep and narrow as well as being rough and flooded. The refugees, burdened down with their children and belongings, gradually began to drop behind the young Anzacs as regiment after regiment passed them by. Gradually their anxiety and terror began to show as they contemplated being left behind to face the fury of their fanatical enemies.

Many of these Light Horsemen were so visibly moved by their pitiful plight that they dismounted from their 'walers' and hoisted the Jewish women and children up into their saddles. These gallant young troopers, despite many being wounded and exhausted from battle and no sleep, allowed these refugees to ride their horses while they walked alongside. That my friend is called 'mercy'!

3. "To walk humbly'

Another aspect that sums up the Anzac Spirit and the Aussie Digger is his humility. Australian uniforms are rarely gaudy, or given to the flashy types that some armies sport. Some nation's uniforms are smothered in brass and insignias with more ribbons and colours than a fruit salad. Even when it comes to acts of bravery Aussies are usually reluctant to take the credit, often insisting that they were just a part of a team, or it was "really my mates that should get the credit, not me."

When I was doing research I was amazed at the number of unclaimed medals that remain from both wars. Many Aussies never bothered to claim them. It's a part of the Aussie bloke's 'psyche' not to big note oneself. It's OK to big note someone else - just don't 'blow your own trumpet'.

Courage Is Part Of The Anzac Spirit.

It's sad to say but most Australians are completely unaware of how courageous and effective our soldiers were. It was our Light Horsemen who were largely responsible for the liberation of Jerusalem from centuries of Muslim rule. The first defeat of the mighty 'Desert Fox' - Erwin Rommel in WW11 was by 'The Rats of Tobruk' - comprised mainly of Aussie Diggers.

Likewise during the Korean War, almost a million Chinese troops poured over the border and swept the United Nations forces before them. The US Army was in full retreat and desperately needed some breathing space. It was the 3rd RAR (Royal Australian Regiment) - along with a few Canadian troops who were 'selected' to hold the line.

Our young men were told that they would have to hold the line against a hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops. Now work those odds out, yet these magnificent young Aussies held their ground for three days, thus buying the UN forces valuable time to regroup. The Regiment was awarded a US Presidential Citation for their heroic efforts in that battle.

But one of the most heroic achievements of our young Aussie Diggers was their magnificent efforts on the Kokoda Track in WW11. Japan had destroyed the powerful American fleet at Pearl Harbour - and conquered much of Asia - now suddenly the undefeated Japanese Army was right on our very doorstep.

With most of our soldiers fighting in the Middle East the nation was vulnerable. All that stood between us and the horrors of invasion by the hitherto invincible Japanese were a few hundred young Aussie diggers.

This story means a lot to me, my Uncle Alf Atkinson - my mother's brother [left] was one of these young men - he won the Military Medal for bravery at the battle of Gona.

Despite what some would have us believe, the first defeat inflicted upon the Japanese land forces - who had swept down through Manchuria, Malaysia and Singapore - was not by Uncle Sam at all, but by Aussie 'Diggers' mostly militia.

These were 17-18 year old young men who had never been trained in warfare or who had ever fired a shot in anger.

Nicknamed 'chocos' - short for 'chocolate soldiers' as they thought that they would melt in the sun. Patrick Lindsay wrote in 'The Spirit of Kokoda':

"The battle for the Kokoda Track is Australia's Alamo. If Gallipoli symbolizes the Anzac Spirit in WW1, then Kokoda is its WW11 equivalent…..They died so young. They missed so much. They gave up so much: their hopes, their dreams, and their loved ones. They laid down their lives that their friends might live. Greater love hath no man than this."

"These were not the tough campaigners of the AIF (regular army). In fact they were little more than kids. The average age was eighteen…Few had ever fired a shot; …They were a rag-tag lot the 39th, the rejects from many companies. There was a chap named Matt Binns - he only had one arm. The bugler had one arm too - he played a marvellous reveille. There was a chap with one eye and another one who was knock-kneed - he'd had polio when he was young. Our platoon leader was night-blind…They had joined up to defend their country….The young men were treated poorly ...They were almost shanghaied. Given no time to train - many not given leave to farewell their families - they were rushed on board the ship and embarked."(who had not slept in 3 days) withstood an onslaught of 1500 crack Japanese troops.

In fact at one stage of the campaign only 110 young Aussies were all that stood between their loved ones in Australia and 6,000 merciless troops from the land of the Rising Sun.

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