Poets Corner Archives - Page 2 of 10

Photo by Warrant Officer Class Two Gary Ramage.

Poets Corner

THE ANZACS ARE WATCHING

16/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 547 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Amid constant gloom and distant frowns Increasing debt, and heads drooping down Comes a time when a youngster will ask

Minister for Defence Peter Dutton sits inside a Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle with Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko, talk to Commander of 1st Division Major General Scott Winter at RAAF Base Amberley, just before the protected mobility vehicle was flown to Ukraine to assist in their war effort against Russia. Photo by Kym Smith.

Poets Corner

You Bastard

10/04/202210/04/2022 Mick Shave 765 Views 0 Comments By Michael Shave

You bastard Putin, what’s it for? Sending people off to war What reason gave you any right To send your

My new Veteran's Lapel Pin, box-mounted in the shirt pocket. Photo by self.

Poets Corner

THE MASK

09/04/202209/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 637 Views 0 Comments By Tomas 'Paddy' Hamilton

. PEOPLE RARELY SEE MY FACE. IT HIDES BEHIND A MASK TO FREE ME FROM ITS VACANT STARE, IS NOT

Australian Army soldiers from the 5th Engineer Regiment use earth-moving equipment to clear debris from a flood-affected house in Lismore, New South Wales, during Operation Flood Assist 2022. Photo by Corporal Jonathan Goedhart.

Poets Corner

Tomorrow we will

21/03/202221/03/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 714 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Faith, Hope, Unity and Purpose are Powerful National Weapons When you hear Mother Nature is about to tear us apart

Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, led by a Japanese officer, walks under a flag of truce to negotiate the capitulation of Allied forces in Singapore, on 15 February 1942. It was the largest surrender of British-led forces in history.

Poets Corner

SUNSET ON AN EMPIRE

21/03/202221/03/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 635 Views 0 Comments By Tomas 'Paddy' Hamilton

. Everything was surreal, the calm before the storm With G&T at Raffles and playing bridge till dawn They swept

Royal Australian Air Force personnel from No. 22 Squadron load pallets of military assistance bound for Ukraine onto a C-17A Globemaster III at RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales. Photo by Corporal Kylie Gibson.

Poets Corner

Just Infantry

13/03/2022 Mick Shave 668 Views 0 Comments By Michael Shave

Just Infantry The Russians in Ukraine I feel for those Infantrymen Without the knowledge Of fire-and-movement; Who have been conscripted

An M113AS4 at Shoalwater Bay. Photo by Leading Seaman Andrew Dakin.

Poets Corner

I’m a Zulu!

24/02/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 652 Views 0 Comments By Spent Cartridge

A warrior you are; and, first into the fight As from behind where you sit there wields a great might

Poets Corner

The Reason Why

15/02/2022 Mick Shave 725 Views 0 Comments By Michael Shave

After A Day at War (South Vietnam, 1969) In the gloom of each day when it’s dying Standing to is

Poets Corner

Fred

14/02/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 742 Views 1 Comment By Spent Cartridge

How you helped us all out many times in any given day With only three primary uses designed that way

An M113AS4 on the prowl in the Australian bush.

Poets Corner

Break Hide!

12/02/202212/02/2022 Spent Cartridge 648 Views 0 Comments By Spent Cartridge

Shots ring out disturbing the night You sit upright all composed without signs of fright Trying to get into that

Commanding Officer of 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel John Eccleston gives instructions to a soldier in the Enoggera Close Training Area during Exericse Ram Strike. Photo by Private Jacob Hilton.

Poets Corner

THE SPARTANS

02/02/202202/02/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 793 Views 0 Comments By Tomas 'Paddy' Hamilton

We fought like ancient Spartans, with no shame or fear Amongst the tales of bravery, very few came near During

A Vietnam veteran lays a cross to remember those who died at Long Tan during a parade to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan at Gallipoli Barracks, Brisbane, 18 August 2016. Original photo by Janine Fabre, digitally modified by CONTACT.

Poets Corner

Conscription – a tragedy

30/01/2022 Mick Shave 515 Views 0 Comments By Michael Shave

The Obscenity of Conscription (and PTSD) He sits at the table nursing his beer, Scruffy, unwashed, a bit smelly I

A collection of rare old warbirds at the Wings Over Illawarra air Show 2021. Photo by Brian Hartigan.

Poets Corner

THE WARBIRDS NEST

27/01/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 661 Views 0 Comments By Tomas 'Paddy' Hamilton

WE ARRIVED HERE MANY YEARS AGO, BUT NOW I STAND ALONE BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN’S SHADOW, IN THE HUNTER TOWN OF

Major General Ron Grey inspects members of the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment on parade at Holsworthy in 1981 – and at a social function in 2012. Uniformed photo by Sergeant Craig Murphy. Social photo by Brian Hartigan.

Poets Corner

Caesar Still Lives

23/01/202224/01/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1082 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Major General R.A. Grey AO, DSO – a salute from all his centurions, living and dead Find me the soldier who

Australian Army soldiers from the 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, move on foot into the isolated community of Gipsy Point, north-west of Mallacoota, Victoria, to provide health support. Photo by Major Gavin Cole.

Poets Corner

A Tribute

16/01/2022 Mick Shave 572 Views 0 Comments By Michael Shave

A man remembered, Peter Bunn; In those days vigorous, full of fun. While we ‘The Company’ gain in skill (Training

Poets Corner

OUR FLAG

04/01/2022 Mel Austin 792 Views 0 Comments By Mel Austin

Of all the flags which have been flown And still are yet to be I think the one which is

Poets Corner

THE HOMELESS REFUGEE

02/01/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 963 Views 0 Comments By Tomas 'Paddy' Hamilton

Barney was a treasure, one of my great finds We met up in hospital, where they patched up broken minds

Poets Corner

Keeping the Home Fires Burning

01/01/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 714 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

I watched as the young widow laid her wreath. I wanted to tell her I was with her husband shortly

French children tend the graves of Australians killed in battle on the Western Front. AWM E05925

Poets Corner

In Memorium

19/12/202119/12/2021 Mick Shave 715 Views 0 Comments By Michael Shave

I stand beside these rank, grassed, mounded piles of soil ‘Neath which the mouldering dead lie in repose. Their type

A C-130J Hercules of No. 37 Squadron creates a dust cloud during a landing at Sam Hill Airfield in Queensland, during Exercise Precision Red. Photo by Flying Officer Eamon Hamilton.

Poets Corner

Betrayal, By the Centre!

13/12/2021 Posted by Brian Hartigan 910 Views 1 Comment

Written by someone who once wore a Skippy Badge on his hat A Lieutenant General no less, that my friend