A Place of Known Repose - Kangaroo March arrives in Bundanoon

After recently posting one of Charles Murray's poems "AT THE SHRINE OF REMEMBRANCE"
(1914 - 1918) – Charles wrote to me and I would like to share his words as well as another of his reflective poems of WW1 for they convey the message of what the reenactment of this March is truly about. 

Charles Murray wrote:

'Do not loose sight of original marchers........it was the love of fellowman and country which drove them....not the glorification of war......it was never about war per se...neither is my poetry and writing about war...it's about love and the sacrifice of life and endeavour for our fellow brothers and sisters of all races, colours, creeds and persuasions.'

Yesterday's ceremony at Sylvan Glen Penrose with Angela Williamson who leads each commemorative ceremony with Neil Betts– our lighthorseman on Baba who has trod every step with us.

Tree planted at Sylvan Glen where we were treated to morning tea after another reflective ceremony that focused on the Sylvan Glen Rush family sacrifice in WW1.

As I march from town to town and we are greeted and welcomed as if we were heroes it becomes such a humbling experience to walk in the footsteps of our Kangaroo warriors and all our diggers who were and are the backbone of our National security and the fantastic lifestyle we have. As each daily ceremony reminds us it is important to continually reflect on the importance of why we are doing this and who we give thanks to...Lest we Forget.  

The return of the soldiers of the Australian Federation Guard added to the spirit of the March and gave us all a wonderful boost to our morale. As I walked with them and heard their personal stories it made me more appreciative of how important these men and women are who support the armed services and the vital role they play in our peaceful democracy. Lest we forget. 

"A PLACE OF KNOWN REPOSE"

("THE BROKEN BOYS, THE SHATTERED MEN")

Verse 1

One hundred years have passed and still we weep

For those destroyed by war, and deeply sleep

In fields so far and foreign from their own,

And the century of grief they left at home.

Refrain:

Oh find the broken boys,

The shattered men,

And lead them to a place

Of known repose,

Inscribe their names upon

A simple cross

And to their honour plant

A blood-red rose.

Commemorative Cross Memorial to mark the centenary Kangaroo March reenactment at Tallong.

Verse 2

As the silent sacred dawn is drawn once more

We gather still to honour as before,

The years and lives they gave, that fatal cost,

To secure our peace, restoring freedoms lost.

Refrain:

Oh find the broken boys,

The shattered men,

And lead them to a place

Of known repose,

Inscribe their names upon

A simple cross

And to their honour plant

A blood-red rose.

Tallong ceremony

 

Verse 3

For those who lost their minds upon those fields,

Bringing nothing home but grief and the mental weals

Condemning them to the shadows of dark places;

Remember them, their names, forgotten faces.

 

'Lone Pine' farm near Tallong

Refrain:

Oh find the broken boys,

The shattered men,

And lead them to a place

Of known repose,

Inscribe their names upon

A simple cross

And to their honour plant

A blood-red rose.

CBenjaminMurray……… 04/2015  

With the innocent presence of children at each ceremony who always sing or recite to honour our diggers we can easily reflect on how important it is to cherish our peaceful life in Australia.  Lest we forget.