Every year since, I have gone back and continued to add a cross for my grandfather, Stanley Mervyn Studder Percival, who saw service in the Middle East and South East Asian theatres in WWII. Graciously, he came home with no external injuries although the war and the smoking habit he developed worked against his health in the end. He passed away in January 1985, two months before my first birthday. Many were not as fortunate as he...
"..They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them....
But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;
As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain." - Laurence Binyon "For the Fallen"
[I was delighted today to see my Uncle (technically my first cousin once removed), Greg Percival, in the parade today. He also saw service in WWII and has many gentlemanly qualities you no longer see today.]
2 comments:
A lovely story. I always think of my father on Anzac Day, though he was English of course. But he served in Burma and talked a lot about Australian soldiers he came across. He died only 9 years ago.
I always find Anzac Day very moving.
Thanks for sharing your story - I have lived in Sydney metro all my life but knew nothing of the "Field of Remembrance".
My paternal grandfather was in essential services here in Sydney so was not able to sign up, my dad was too young [being 17 when the war ended]. My maternal grandfather was a fireman in the Battle of Britain; he never shared anything with my mum so we know nothing about what he did or experienced - perhaps it's better that way! My mum [nearly 75] attends the march in her small country town every year.
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