Anzac Day 2021: Lach and Ian top of Brisbane’s Gateway Bridge (the longest bridge of its type in the world). Not a border check to the Occupied Territories. Wire fence but no machine guns!
On our way along the river walk in Brisbane CBD, we saw a lot of soldiers in uniform going for lunch at Felons under the Kangaroo Point cliffs.
I was wearing my “Free Palestine – another world is possible” jersey and Lach said one soldier had reacted unfavourably to the sight of my kit.
Another soldier exclaimed to his mate – “What’s ‘Free Palestine’ all about?”.
Of course if they had read the place names of where Australians fought inside the shrine of remembrance they would see Palestine listed. This was before the creation of Israeli state in 1948
Lach said: “Just think of how they would have responded if you were still flying the Cuban flag (on your bike)!
Nevertheless, we made it through the phalanx of inebriated soldiers and we saw many wearing such an array of medals that they needed to grow bigger chests to fit them all on.
We remembered both our mother’s medals for service during World War II and spoke about wearing them on the Anzac march ourselves (both our mothers have passed away … an opportunity both women were denied because of the RSL’s refusal to permit women to march on Anzac Day.
We remember also al Nakba that is coming up on 15 May and those that fought in Palestine during the second world war before the terror gangs, Haganah and the Zionist Irgun, marched through Palestine and declared the State of Israel supported by the United Nations.
Ian Curr
26 April 2021