E&OE.............................................................................................
Thank you very much Mr Dalton. To my colleague Wilson Tuckey, to Mr
Ken Wilkie the Federal Member for Swan representing the Leader of
the Federal Opposition, to Mike Board representing the Premier, to
(inaudible) and Andrew who have given such moving speeches on the
ongoing significance of the contribution and the sacrifice of the
men that we honour today. I particularly thank you for your very thoughtful
and sensitive remarks. But most importantly to 800 years of accumulated
wisdom, experience, and commitment to Australia. These magnificent
men. These true national treasures of Australia. To them we particularly
honour and dedicate this occasion.
Many things have been said about the ANZAC tradition. Many things
have been said about the sacrifice of Australians who have died to
give us the freedom that we enjoy in this freest of all countries
in the world. When ever I've visited a war cemetery, particularly
the cemeteries of France, I'm struck by one overwhelming impression,
an overwhelming reaction, and that is that they were all so young.
As you read each headstone and see the age: 17, 18, 19, in their early
20s. You think of the fearful slaughter and you think of the incredible
waste of humanity that occurred on both sides of that conflict, and
indeed of all conflicts.
We should never forget that in 1914 the male population of Australia
was in the order of two-and-a-half to three million, and yet almost
400,000 of those volunteered to fight in World War I. And 60,000 of
those who volunteered never came back, and tens of thousands more
were wounded, many very seriously. And it is an astonishing tribute
to the resilience of that generation that these eight wonderful men
are with us today. And I can't find the words, politicians are
meant always to have words to talk about and describe things, I can't
find words to adequately express the admiration that I feel for that
heroic generation that did so much. And I want to say that as Prime
Minister that I hope that this country forever studies and seeks to
better and further understand World War I, to understand the influence
that it had on the history of the world, to understand the social
impact of World War I on the Australian nation, the sense of nationhood
and the sense of even greater resilience and independence that the
experience of World War I gave to our nation.
And in studying that let us honour these remarkable people. Let us
also honour the contribution of those in the nursing corps who worked
so very hard to care for the wounded at the front. Let us honour and
remember the pain and the anguish and the agony of the mothers and
the wives and the sisters who received those awful telegrams notifying
death, or notifying severe wounding.
So today is an occasion to do that and that is because of that feeling
that we decided on Armistice Day last year that for the first time
under the Australian honours system we strike a commemorative medal.
And that commemorative medal was to be given to every survivor or
World War I alive on Armistice Day last year which was the 80th
anniversary of the cessation of hostilities in November 1918. And
the medal is a wonderful representation of what it honours. On one
side it has the replica of the Digger statue that was unveiled at
Bullecourt last year. On the other side is the Federation Star and
the wattle of Australia. The ribbon is the colour of the Flanders
poppy and it is joined by the crown because all the soldiers who went
to World War I were soldiers of the King.
And I think in every way it captures the occasion, it brings together
the various elements that were relevant at that time and continue
to be relevant. But most importantly ladies and gentleman it's
a symbolic expression of the respect and gratitude and honour that
we all feel is due to that generation and most particularly to the
survivors of that generation. And it really is one of those great
privileges as Prime Minister of our country that I can come here today
on the first occasion, on the eve of ANZAC Day 1999 and present the
medals, 11 of them, to recipients and to the families. And in doing
that could I just say one or two things particularly about some of
the recipients.
There are many images of individuals that come out of World War I.
None of course in a sense has become more famous than the image of
Simpson and his donkey. But just as children of Australian schools
learnt of Simpson and his donkey, perhaps in years ahead children
could be told of Private Peter Casserly who is here today, who lied
about his age to enlist in the AIF. Let them here how he wrote to
his mother, a message in a bottle and threw it over the side of a
ship as he departed his homeland. And may they learn how the message
reached his mother and how Peter reached action on the Western Front.
Let children be told of Private Cecil McFee who saw a great number
of battles on the Western Front and whose service continues even beyond
the end of World War II when he served in Japan as a member of the
British Commonwealth ccupation force.
May they hear about the service of Private George Podmore who was
wounded in action at Villiers Bretonneux in April 1918. And Private
Hubert Walton, the youngest of 11 children who enlisted at the age
of 17 to fight in many actions on the Western Front.
Let children hear of others hear of others who survived to the 80th
anniversary of the Armistice but did not live until today. Like Gallipoli
veteran Lance Corporal Leonard Hall who left to fight to join the
Light Horse when he was 16, and who had his age put up because he
was a bugler that the regiment so dearly wanted. Let them be taught
that he was only to survive the blast of an aerial torpedo because
his horse was to take the brunt of the explosion.
May children learn about others recognised by this medal who were
not to survive until today like Gallipoli veteran Private Francis
Isaacs who fought in many battles on the Western Front such as at
Pozieres where the AIF lost 23,000 men, who, like himself was twice
wounded and twice returned to the front to continue his service.
Ladies and gentleman, we've had today two very fine and moving
contributions from two young Australians. Young Australians born into
a free country, born into a country that has almost unparalleled opportunities,
a country which is as free as any in the world, a country that offers
hope and security and opportunity for its young. But in their words
they displayed a respect and an understanding and a reverence for
the contribution of earlier generations. And there is a continuity.
There is something very special about the Australian identity, there's
something very special about the ANZAC tradition. And I don't
think that the ANZAC tradition has been better described than in the
words of that great World War I historian Charles Bean who wrote of
the ANZAC spirit as follows: "In the end ANZAC stood and still
stands for reckless valour in a good cause, for enterprise, resourcefulness,
fidelity, comradeship and endurance that will never admit defeat".
I can't think, although those words were written many many years
ago, I can't think of a more beautifully, evocative description
of what I always thought the Australian spirit to be. Those words
call to mind comradeship, they call to mind mateship, they call to
mind the commitment of Australians to good causes, they call to mind
the skepticism about too much authority which has always been an endearing
Australian characteristic, and they call to mind the sense of adventure,
and they call to mind the optimism of the Australian people and the
Australian nation. And those words have been, are as valid and as
enduring, and as evocative today as they were when they were written.
And they beautifully encapsulate to me, and I believe to many other
Australians, what these men went to war to defend, what they went
to war to demonstrate, and how they demonstrated to the world what
a remarkable, particular and special place Australia really was.
Can I say to all of you wonderful Australians collectively from the
bottom of a grateful nation's heart, thank you for what you have
done for us. Thank you for the land you fought to protect. Thank you
for the way of life that you helped bequeath to all of us. And thank
you for the quality of that life that we in the present generations
of Australians so richly enjoy and are so deeply grateful that you
have given to us. Thank you.
[ends]