ANZAC Day 2019 – Message from our CEO
CEO, Janna Voloshin and Colonel Lewis Coyle lay wreaths in memory of those lost in war
* 25 April 2019 *
Around 102,930 Australians have died fighting for Australia and her allies.
World War I alone claimed 61,511 Australian lives – the casualty rate higher, proportionally, than any other country in the British Empire.
World War II claimed 39,761 Australian lives – some on the battle field and some in prisoner-of-war camps.
Earlier wars, from the second half of the nineteenth century onwards claimed:
- 589 lives in South Africa (1889-1902)
- 1 in New Zealand in the 1860’s
- 9 in Sudan
- 6 in China
- And 10 in the Russian Civil War
We lost:
- 340 Australians in the Korean War (1950-53)
- 39 in the Malayan Emergency
- 16 in the Indonesian confrontation
- And 521 in Vietnam
More recently still:
- 3 Australians were killed in Iraq
- 4 in East Timor
- and in Afghanistan, where our ADF forces continue to serve, 41 Australian lives have been lost.
These 102, 930 Australians made the ultimate sacrifice.
War has other effects too:
Over a quarter of a million Australians have been wounded in war, some have suffered lifelong effects from their service, and to this day, there are many who continue to suffer from the effects – physically and mentally.
And there are the widows – and in recent times, widowers. The children. Parents. Siblings. The ones left behind to go on living without their loved one; their lives forever altered by their loss.
We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to every single man and woman who has served in the Australian Defence Force throughout the history of Australia, right through to today.
At next month’s general election we will have the opportunity to vote. It’s easy to complain about our politicians and make fun of their antics, their hard hats and high vis vests as they pop up in the most unexpected places. But let’s put it into perspective:
We have freedom.
We have opportunity.
We have democracy.
And we can openly say what we like about our politicians (within reason!).
We can vote. We can stand for election ourselves – if we are mad enough! Not every country is so lucky.
THIS is what our servicemen and women fight for. THIS is what they give us: Freedom, opportunity, democracy.
This is not just good luck. This is thanks to the sacrifices made by our soldiers, sailors and airmen and women.
Today, on ANZAC Day, we who are fortunate to live in this great land, must remember
- the fallen
- those who returned
- and those who continue to protect our nation today
Janna Voloshin, CEO
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Australia#Russian_Civil_War,_1918%E2%80%9319