This year’s Remembrance Day post takes us on a journey to Ukraine and the story of Welly who features in my recently completed mixed media piece pictured below. A person I am close to was in Ukraine recently doing some consulting work and travelling around with a group to get a picture of what was happening on the ground. They were touring a bombed residential area on the outskirts of Kyiv when a little furball came wandering out of the rubble of a recently destroyed building. The little mite meowed piteously and walked straight up to one of the soldiers who promptly picked it up. He figured out it was a…
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Some gave all
We can never understand what those who have experienced war have been through. We can never take the grief of lost friends and colleagues from them. We cannot erase the things they’ve seen. We cannot restore sound sleep or carefree days, no matter how much we want to. Last year I wrote of letting go and moving on now that Mr Collier has joined me on the outside. But it’s not that easy. The experience of war never leaves them. They return, but they are never the same. This time of year is rough. Regardless of our political or ideological views we can be compassionate towards the human being standing…
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Last man standing
Remembrance day in a pandemic Things are different this year in so many ways, 2020 has been quite the year. For everyone. We’ve all had to change the way we live in order to stay safe and to keep our loved ones safe and well. This is the first time in many years that I have not attended a Remembrance Day service in person, and whilst I am disappointed, I know that in the spirit of sacrifice and mateship engendered by our service people throughout history, we will do what is required of us and demonstrate our remembrance and solidarity from a distance. We are not alone, thousands around the…
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We will remember you
Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Armistice at the end of World War I. It was supposed to be the war that ended all wars. But there have been conflicts rumbling on around the world nearly continuously ever since. I attended the commemoration at the Australian War Memorial this morning and as always came home with a million thoughts whirling around. I’d like to share some with you and introduce you to my great grandfather – William St John Collier. William St John Collier My great grandfather signed on to join the 60th Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force in July 1915. Will Collier, as he was known, was…
