ANZAC day Birdsville .. Did Sully make it.

RockyOne, yes he made it to Birdsville on Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 pm (Ian was coming home from work when he saw him drive in that's how I can be specific of the time) - he had some friends from Rathdowney travelling with him - just as well as I saw him in Rathdowney last weekend and he wasn't ready to go and didn't leave until Monday - first night at Meringandan Pub (how unusual!) and don't know where after that. Others from Rathdowney (Publican) didn't leave until Thursday at 4:30 am. He was unsure how long he was staying in Birdsville this year.
I marched at Rathdowney (there were hundreds and hundreds of people) wearing medals of the 2/26th (my Dad - ex Changi) and his Dad's (26th ex Gallipoli- with a DSO) - I was very proud girl doing this. My other Grandfather was also at Gallipoli with the 15th Batt and won the MC - but I didn't have enough shoulder to wear all the medals.
Very sad that Lofty (RIP) and his brother Rusty couldn't make it this year - I will miss my calls with Lofty and his emails and wise words.
Ian said two plane loads of Army bods flew into Birdsville the afternoon before and a few car loads of vets were spotted as well. Two-Up was the game of the day after lunch and there would be plenty of sore heads lying around today.
RockyOne - did you march in Emerald?

Yep Ruth! I marched at the 10am one and the dawn Service at 4:15 A Captain lady was our feature speaker in front of the re-vamped memorials and she is a credit to the young people of our nation. She is in Intelligence and served in Iraq and with the Afghans (can't spell that one) Very well researched and factual material leaning towards tear jerking in places. Good to see some people take the ball and run. She went straight from a school in Emerald to various military educational facilities incl. Duntroon I guess. We had many hundreds of folk,lots of marchers and the most glorious weather. Yep! The rum and milk were not bad either. Bit of flack flying at the RSL gathering. They launched a huge Aussie flag on the new pole in the re-vitalised town centre,it lay there limp in all it's brand new splendor,then as if someone had signaled the breeze,exactly as it reached the top,the magic happened. I unfurled completely,proudly waving to the hundreds of upturned faces as if a highly trained model on the catwalk. Maybe one of the most noticeable features,the huge numbers of young children there even at that early hour of 0415. The mums and dads who took so much trouble to,firstly,get them out of bed and dressed and secondly to get the family there after finding a car park some distance away. Sorry you asked Ruth? Regards Brian