DOCSLIB.ORG

District I Okinawa - Japan

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
District I Okinawa - Japan Volume VII – Number 4 AROUND THE PACIFIC 20 January 2012 I V II Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States III Department of Pacific Areas VI Commander Barry Hirshbein IV VII Volume VII – Number 4 A non-profit publication 20 January 2012 The Around the Pacific newsletter showcases local activities throughout the VFW Department of Pacific Areas through articles, photos, etc. The Department Editor may provide articles on the various programs and activities. District I Okinawa - Japan Post 9723 Veterans Day Ceremony Veterans Day ceremony held on Kadena Air Base at the 18th Wing Headquarters the flag pole. Department of Pacific Areas Page 1 Volume VII – Number 4 AROUND THE PACIFIC 20 January 2012 Air Force and Navy personnel participating in ceremony ***************************************************************************************** VFW Buddy Poppy Activities on Okinawa Post 9723 Buddy Poppy Drive at the BX and Commissary were assisted by the Air Force Jr. ROTC as part of one of their school programs on our Poppy Drive Commander Stewart leading the Buddy Poppy Drive Smiling volunteers working with VFW Post 9723 on the Buddy Poppy Drive Department of Pacific Areas Page 2 Volume VII – Number 4 AROUND THE PACIFIC 20 January 2012 CDR Stewart and Dennis Provencher present a $499.00 check to the Presentation of a Buddy Poppy Certificate for their AFJROTC at Kadena High School to assist with their programs. MSGT support and assistance in helping with our Shepard USAF Retired Instructor, a Life Member of Post 9723, Veterans Days Buddy Poppy drive at Kadena Air Base. Quartermaster Dennis Provencher, ROTC Commander Major Hoksch, USAF Retired, and Commander Stewart Comrades Bowers and Provencher doing a Buddy Poppy Drive at the Camp Foster Commissary on the 14th of Jan. 2012. Post QM Dennis Provencher at the Buddy Poppy Drive Commander Stan Stewart with Comrades Quartermaster Dennis Provencher and Comrade Al Pearson holding a Buddy Poppy Drive at the Foster Commissary on the 15th of Jan 2012. Department of Pacific Areas Page 3 Volume VII – Number 4 AROUND THE PACIFIC 20 January 2012 Post 9723 New Clark Cemetery Life Member Cambodia School Support Program Commander Stewart presenting Comrade Al Pearson his Clark Cemetery Grave Diggers new life membership. ************************************************* Post 9723 New VFW Life Member Commander Stewart donating school supplies and books to Debbie Talleri, wife of Major General Talleri, for Cambodia schools. Quartermaster Dennis Provencher giving school supplies Commander Stewart pinning a new life member to Debbie Talleri for Cambodia schools. of Post 9723 with the VFW Cross Of Malta Department of Pacific Areas Page 4 Volume VII – Number 4 AROUND THE PACIFIC 20 January 2012 District II Mainland Japan REMEMBERANCE DAY CEREMONY AT BRITISH COMMONWEALTH WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY Photos by Nathan Payne, Crew Advisor, Crew 22 and Joe Mortimer, VFW Post 9612 VFW Comrades from Camp Zama and Yokosuka and members of the Boy Scouts of America (left) and Comrade Mortimer with members of Venturing Crew 22 at the entrance to the British Commonwealth War Memorial Cemetery. HODOGAYA, YOKOHAMA, JAPAN – Department Adjutant Dick ceremony, there was food and refreshments. It is a very beautiful Keeley, Department Surgeon Joe Mortimer, Department Historian John cemetery. Johnson, Post JVC Steven Triggs, Post Quartermaster Casey Roberts, and Post Trustee Scott Newhart of VFW Post 9612 joined with Comrades of VFW Post 9612 and members of Venturing Crew 22 NAF Comrades of District 2 Mainland Japan during the Remembrance Day Atsugi, Japan District, Far East Council, Boy Scouts of America, paid Ceremony at the Hodogaya British Commonwealth War Memorial their respects at the cemetery and also visited the Yokohama Cemetery, Hodogaya, Yokohama, Japan in November 2011. After the Cremation Memorial. Department Surgeon Joe Mortimer (also Crew Committee Member) along with Crew Advisor Nathan Payne, Crew President Sibei He, Crew Secretary Darianne and Venturer Brennan Astorga and other members of the Boy Scouts of America took part. A final section can be found above and behind the India-Pakistan section. It contains some of the newest graves in the cemetery. The Yokohama War Cemetery is a little known cemetery located in Veterans from several commonwealth countries who died during the Yokohama City, Japan. Prior to becoming a cemetery, the land was occupation of Japan or during the Korean War are buried here. part of the Yokohama Children's Amusement Park. But following Japan's surrender in 1945, the 38th Australian War Graves Unit began In the Yokohama Memorial Building there is an urn containing the to bury servicemen and women here. It eventually became the only remains of 335 Prisoners of War of which there are 49 American Commonwealth War Cemetery in Japan. As such, the remains of names and 10 unknown Americans who died during their captivity. service men and women were moved from temporary burial spots around Japan and brought to Yokohama. The Yokohama War Cemetery now houses 1,555 graves and is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The cemetery grave markers and grounds are kept in a neat and pristine condition. It reflects the honor which is paid to those who sacrificed their lives for their countries. Although a major highway runs next to the Yokohama War Cemetery, it is a remarkably quiet and tranquil location. Trees abound and birds can easily be seen and heard. The cemetery is laid out in several large sections and is broken down, for the most part, by country. The largest section is closest to the cemetery entrance and contains hundreds of graves of people from the United Kingdom. A second section located to the north contains Australian graves. Past the Australian section are the graves of New Zealand and Canadian veterans. Two Americans, Rowland and Harding, are also buried in the section because he was serving with the Canadian Army. Comrade Mortimer and members of Venturing Crew 22 visiting the Up the hill from the United Kingdom section is an area dedicated to Yokohama Cremation Memorial Indians and Pakistani troops and merchant marines who died in the service of the Commonwealth. Department of Pacific Areas Page 5 Volume VII – Number 4 AROUND THE PACIFIC 20 January 2012 Joe Mortimer of VFW Post 9612 trains Venturers of Crew 22 how to properly render honors when planting the national flag at a gravesite in the Canadian Burial Plot for the two Americans. Joe Mortimer of VFW Post 9612 and Venturers of Crew 22 during the ceremony (left) and Frank Hunter of VFW Post 1054 playing the bagpipes (right). Department of Pacific Areas Page 6 Volume VII – Number 4 AROUND THE PACIFIC 20 January 2012 FALL PATROL-O-REE TAMA HILLS NOVEMBER 2011 Photos by Joe Mortimer, VFW Post 9612 Patrol-o-ree Color Guard Detail (left to right) Joe Mortimer, Brennan Astorga, and Sibei He of BSA FEC JD Crew 22 and and Saito Yoji Scouting Association of Japan. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SCOUTING ASSOCIATION JAPAN (SAJ) MOCHI POUNDING EVENT IN YOKOHAMA JANUARY 2012 Photos by Yuko Palmer, Pack 22, and Joe Mortimer, VFW Post 9612 Members of Pack 22 and Crew 22 with SAJ Troop 83. MIDORI WARD, YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - One of the traditional New members of SAJ Troop 83 Yokohama for a traditional Mochi Pounding Year's activities in Japan is making and eating mochi. Most people in event. the city no longer make mochi themselves, however do not tell that to the members of Scouting Association Japan (SAJ) Troop 83 in The event started with introductions of the senior staff of SAJ and BSA. Yokohama. Comrade Department Surgeon Joe Mortimer and also Then SAJ recognized new members of SAJ and their parents. There now Chartered Organization Representative of VFW Post 9612 for was kite making and other traditional Japanese games for all Scouts to Pack 22, Troop 22 and Crew 22 NAF Atsugi got together with enjoy. Department of Pacific Areas Page 7 Volume VII – Number 4 AROUND THE PACIFIC 20 January 2012 Arrival and opening ceremony. Introductions of BSA Adult Leaders Crew President Sibei He and Chartered Organization Representative Joe Mortimer of VFW Post 9612. Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice (not to be confused with gluten) pounded into paste and molded into shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. While also eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year and is commonly sold and eaten during that time. They use a special kind of mochi rice and steam it in a wood fired steamer until it's soft. After the rice is ready it's transferred to a large stone bowl for pounding. At this point it's just rice, so you can't really pound it. The first step is to mush it up using a giant wooden hammer. Then you can pound it slowly until it turns into a paste, taking care not to hit it too hard and spray rice everywhere. Pounding mochi is a two-person operation. One person pounds the mochi with a giant wooden hammer and the other one wets and repositions the mochi between each stroke. Obviously this requires some careful timing and lots of semi-meaningful grunts are employed for communication. Both jobs are fairly difficult to get right. Without the exact right amount of water, the mochi gets too wet or too dry to pound correctly, and, needless to say, without the right timing things could get rather ugly rather quickly. Since the head of the hammer is very long (approximately a foot and a half) it's very easy to twist the head of the hammer, producing a weak hit. The technique used is somewhat different from what you might expect from using a sledgehammer or similar sized smashing tool.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Of Victoria Cross Recipients by New South Wales State Electorate
    Index of Victoria Cross Recipients by New South Wales State Electorate INDEX OF VICTORIA CROSS RECIPIENTS BY NEW SOUTH WALES STATE ELECTORATE COMPILED BY YVONNE WILCOX NSW Parliamentary Research Service Index of Victoria Cross recipients by New South Wales electorate (includes recipients who were born in the electorate or resided in the electorate on date of enlistment) Ballina Patrick Joseph Bugden (WWI) resided on enlistment ............................................. 36 Balmain William Mathew Currey (WWI) resided on enlistment ............................................. 92 John Bernard Mackey (WWII) born ......................................................................... 3 Joseph Maxwell (WWII) born .................................................................................. 5 Barwon Alexander Henry Buckley (WWI) born, resided on enlistment ................................. 8 Arthur Charles Hall (WWI) resided on enlistment .................................................... 26 Reginald Roy Inwood (WWI) resided on enlistment ................................................ 33 Bathurst Blair Anderson Wark (WWI) born ............................................................................ 10 John Bernard Mackey (WWII) resided on enlistment .............................................. ..3 Cessnock Clarence Smith Jeffries (WWI) resided on enlistment ............................................. 95 Clarence Frank John Partridge (WWII) born........................................................................... 13
    [Show full text]
  • Last Post Indian War Memorials Around the World
    Last Post Indian War Memorials Around the World Introduction • 1 Rana Chhina Last Post Indian War Memorials Around the World i Capt Suresh Sharma Last Post Indian War Memorials Around the World Rana T.S. Chhina Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research United Service Institution of India 2014 First published 2014 © United Service Institution of India All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior permission of the author / publisher. ISBN 978-81-902097-9-3 Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research United Service Institution of India Rao Tula Ram Marg, Post Bag No. 8, Vasant Vihar PO New Delhi 110057, India. email: [email protected] www.usiofindia.org Printed by Aegean Offset Printers, Gr. Noida, India. Capt Suresh Sharma Contents Foreword ix Introduction 1 Section I The Two World Wars 15 Memorials around the World 47 Section II The Wars since Independence 129 Memorials in India 161 Acknowledgements 206 Appendix A Indian War Dead WW-I & II: Details by CWGC Memorial 208 Appendix B CWGC Commitment Summary by Country 230 The Gift of India Is there ought you need that my hands hold? Rich gifts of raiment or grain or gold? Lo! I have flung to the East and the West Priceless treasures torn from my breast, and yielded the sons of my stricken womb to the drum-beats of duty, the sabers of doom. Gathered like pearls in their alien graves Silent they sleep by the Persian waves, scattered like shells on Egyptian sands, they lie with pale brows and brave, broken hands, strewn like blossoms mowed down by chance on the blood-brown meadows of Flanders and France.
    [Show full text]
  • YOKOHAMA CREMATION MEMORIAL, Japan Location
    YOKOHAMA CREMATION MEMORIAL, Japan Location: Yokohama Cremation Memorial stands in Yokohama War Cemetery, which is 9 kilometres west of the city on Yuenchi-Dori, Hodogaya Ward, which branches left on the old Tokaido highway. The nearest railway station is Hodogaya 5 kilometres to the north on the JNR line, but the cemetery is easily reached by bus from Yokohama station. The Memorial takes the form of a beautifully designed shrine which houses an urn containing the ashes of 335 soldiers, sailors and airmen of the Commonwealth, the United States of America and the Kingdom of the Netherlands who died as prisoners of war in Japan. Their names (save for 51 who were not identified) are inscribed on the walls of the shrine. Visiting Information: Yokohama War Cemetery is open 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., including Saturdays, Sundays and all public holidays, all year round. YOKOHAMA WAR CEMETERY, Japan Location: Yokohama War Cemetery is 9 kilometres west of the city on Yuenchi-Dori, Hodogaya Ward, which branches left off the old Tokaido highway. The nearest railway station is Hodogaya, 5 kilometres to the north on the JNR line, but the cemetery is easily reached by bus from Yokohama station. Within the cemetery will be found the Yokohama Memorial and the Yokohama Cremation Memorial. The Yokohama Memorial commemorates 20 members of the Undivided Indian Army and the Royal Indian Air Force who died while serving with the occupation forces in Japan, for whom no burial or cremation information exists. The Yokohama Cremation Memorial commemorates 335 soldiers, sailors and airmen of the British Commonwealth, the United States of America and the Kingdom of the Netherlands who died as prisoners of war in Japan.
    [Show full text]
  • World War Two Memorial the Following Pages Commemorate the Men from Faringdon Who Died in the Second World War
    Faringdon World War Two Memorial The following pages commemorate the men from Faringdon who died in the Second World War. In addition to the 34 listed on the Faringdon War Memorial, these pages include those who are buried in All Saints’ Churchyard (Habgood, Harrison, Morbey and Tarr) and in the Nonconformist Cemetery on Canada Lane (Heron) who are not named on the Faringdon War Memorial. There is also a tribute to Anthony Pepall, Jack Bryan’s friend, who was killed on the retreat to Dunkirk. The information has been compiled from data obtained from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web site and other records. If you can add any further details, please contact me or Faringdon Town Council. Dr M L H Wise: Tel: 01367 240597 Faringdon Town Council: Tel: 01367 240281 In Memory of Able Seaman ROYCE LEONARD BAILEY P/JX 519294, H.M.S. Isis, Royal Navy who died, age 19, on 20 July 1944 Son of Leonard and Lilian Bailey, of Faringdon, Berkshire. Remembered with honour Faringdon War Memorial and PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL Commemorated in perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Standing on Southsea Common overlooking the promenade in Portsmouth, Hampshire, is the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. It commemorates nearly 10,000 naval personnel of the First World War and almost 15,000 of the Second World War who were lost or buried at sea. (See next page for the history of HMS Isis.) HMS Isis (D87), named for the Egyptian goddess, was an I-class destroyer laid down by the Yarrow and Company, at Scotstoun in Glasgow on 6 February 1936, launched on 12 November 1936 and commissioned on 2 June 1937.
    [Show full text]
  • Stanley Military Cemetery Located on the Stanley Peninsula and Is Smaller Than the Sai Wan Cemetery
    “C” Force - The Hong Kong Story THOSE THAT NEVER CAME HOME After 18 days of fighting in Hong Kong, the Commonwealth forces surrendered on December 25, 1941. Over 1,000 Commonwealth soldiers died in battle and some 2,300 wounded died later while in Japanese confinement. There are two main cemeteries in Hong Kong, Sai Wan War Cemetery is the main cemetery for those who died in battle and after in the hands of the Japanese. The Stanley Military Cemetery located on the Stanley Peninsula and is smaller than the Sai Wan Cemetery. Another cemetery is located at Yokohama, Japan, those buried here, were mostly those who died at the hands of the Japanese as POWs. These three cemeteries are administered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) which oversees the administration and maintenance of Commonwealth War Cemeteries throughout the world. Sai Wan War Cemetery Sai Wan War Cemetery is the largest CWGC in Hong Kong, being the resting place of more than 1,480 Com- monwealth military personnel of which 483 are unidentified. After the Second World War was over, many graves from Formosa were moved here and there are special headstones for those buried in Kowloon whose graves could not be found. Buried here are 283 soldiers of the Royal Canadian Army which includes 107 remains that Entrance to Sai could not be identified. Plaque with the story of the Cemetery Wan War Cemetery Sai Wan Memorial at the entrance to the cemetery bears the names of more than 2,000 casualties who died in the defense of Hong Kong, of these are 228 Canadians who died with no known grave.
    [Show full text]
  • QUEENSLAND TPI JOURNAL June Edition 2020
    QUEENSLAND TPI JOURNAL June Edition 2020 Boeing E-7A Wedgetail Boeing 737 BBJ C17J Spartan C130 J Super Hecules Boeing C-17A Globemeaster Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet F-35 Lightning 11 MQ-4C Triton “Disabled In Our Service, United In Our Cause” The Australian Federation of Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Ex-Servicemen and Women (Queensland Branch) Incorporated. Patron His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, Governor of Queensland 90 Enoggera Road, NEWMARKET, QLD. 4051 Hours: 10.00am - 2.00pm Wednesday & Friday Administration: Ph.: 07 3040 3330 PO Box 3161, NEWMARKET, QLD. 4051 Email: [email protected] STATE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE State President: Chris Richards Vice President: Andrew Gizycki Secretary: Jeffrey Graham Treasurer: Andrew Gizycki Member: Ian Hurlock State Welfare Officer: Ken Savage State Welfare Officer: Peter Broadbridge Journal Editor: George Mialkowski QUEENSLAND SOCIAL CENTRE S BEENLEIGH FNQ CAIRNS MORETON BAY SOUTH Mr. Stuart Watson Mr. Ted Powell Mr. Ken Logue PO Box 522 PO Box 111 6 Loraine St., Beenleigh Q 4207 Westcourt Q 4870 Capalaba Q 4157 Ph.: 0403 659 272 Ph: 0418 448 862 Ph: 3823 5494 secretary.beenleigh.tpi@ [email protected] [email protected] gmail.com BUNDABERG GOLDCOAST REDCLIFFE Mr. Ted (Ian) Stokes Mr. Alan Ross Mr. Michael Karolak PO Box 1505 PO Box 1862 PO Box 288 Bundaberg Q 4670 Broadbeach Q 4218 Redcliffe Q 4020 Ph.: 4155 0593 Ph: 5539 9282 Ph: 3283 1721 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] CENTRAL QLD IPSWICH SUNSHINE COAST Mr. Neil Brewer Mr. Peter Briese Mrs. Deborah Kirkham PO Box 514.
    [Show full text]
  • Occupation of Japan Bertrand Roehner
    Occupation of Japan Bertrand Roehner To cite this version: Bertrand Roehner. Occupation of Japan. 2009. hal-01708196 HAL Id: hal-01708196 https://hal.sorbonne-universite.fr/hal-01708196 Submitted on 13 Feb 2018 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. RELATIONS BETWEEN ALLIED FORCES AND THE POPULATION OF JAPAN Bertrand M. Roehner Institute for Theoretical and High Energy Physics, University of Paris 6 Laboratoire de Physique Theorique´ et Hautes Energies,´ UPMC, Paris Working Report, 2009 Alle Menschen werden Br¨uder wo dein sanfter Fl¨ugel weilt. [All people become brothers under your tender wing.] —Friedrich Schiller, Lied an die Freude [Ode to Joy] (1785) “Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?” “Yes, to the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.” “The dog did nothing in the night-time.” “That was the curious incident,” remarked Sherlock Holmes. —Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Silver Blaze (1892) There is a strong family resemblance about the misdeeds, and if you have all the details of a thousand at your finger ends, it is odd if you can’t unravel the thousand and first.
    [Show full text]
  • Issue 19 the Last Post Visits Japan
    BI-ANNUAL | ISSUE 19 INTERVIEWS WITH Col Simon Monterola Australia’s Military Attaché in Japan Bruce McAvaney Max Hastings Bruce Rickard A Life in Architecture Veterans Film Festival THE LAST POST VISITS JAPAN THE LAST POST – 2019 ANZAC DAY EDITION 1 dha.gov.au 139 342 from the publisher GREG T ROSS Hello and welcome to the latest edition of The Last Post. The Last Post Magazine has been praised nationally and internationally As my Facebook friends know, the life of an since it was launched in 2011 and is independent publisher can be a constant unravelling designed by Kirstie Wyatt from Wyatt of chaos with more outgoings than incomings, lovingly mixed with successful outcomes and Creative. contacts with Australians who are of a similar Kirstie is a freelance graphic and mindset to the philosophy of my magazine. web designer and can enhance There are times of tranquillity and times when it your marketing to get the results feels as though the whole world is conspiring to you want in your business. make your tasks harder than they need to be. Then there are times that are etched into 0419 035 000 the mind forever and will add to the memory [email protected] spool when recalling good events. Such was my trip to Japan earlier this year. It was part of the RSL National/Stephen Henderson organised visit under the Japan-Australia Grassroots Exchange Programme. To commemorate the visit and the progress made through face-to-face meetings, this special Japan-Australia edition of TLP covers as many areas possible that represent common ground for the two countries.
    [Show full text]
  • The City of Cambridge Honours Our Veterans
    The City of Cambridge Honours Our Veterans Beginning in the late 1980’s and championed by City Councillor and veteran Bill Struck, the City of Cambridge established a street naming policy asking developers to select 50 per cent of the names for their new streets from the Veterans List maintained by the Cambridge Archives and Records Centre. Further research in 2002 by local historian Gerry Love and aided by Nancy Morrey added more names to the list. The Vet’s list now has more than 5,000 veterans and there are over 130 “Poppy Streets” in the city. Lynn Griggs Cambridge Archives & Records Centre January 2015 ii REMEMBRANCE Remembrance lies in simple things In the gathering of flowers And the pinning of poppies Solitary visits to silent graves Familiar names on headstones Remembrance is the echo of laughter down a staircase Which ends at the Wall of Honour It is the tear on a mother’s face And the trembling of a father’s hands We remember them all Without favourites or exemptions Civilians who mended aircraft Pilots who flew them into lonely and ominous skies Sailors whose card games lasted from war’s first declaration To the final call of ceasefire Soldiers who came home changed and uncertain And the families who stood beside them Silently battling enemies of their own Remembrance is simple It is the children whose humble gift is to gather flowers And remember someone they never knew It is those who pin poppies to honour the ones Who have gone ahead To call them back from memory From boot prints in the sand And shadows in the jungle To stand beside us one more time August 14, 2008 Nancy Olwen Morrey iii iv r Nancy Olwen Morrey was Artist in Residence (2005) for the City of Cambridge and received the Bernice Adams Award (2005) for Communication and Literary Arts.
    [Show full text]
  • The Politics of Regionalism in North America
    The Unavoidable Shadow of Past Wars: Obsequies for Casualties of the Afghanistan War in Australia and Canada Kim Richard Nossal Department of Political Studies Queen‟s University Kingston, ON K7L 3N6 CANADA [email protected] Canadian Political Science Association University of British Columbia Vancouver, 6 June 2008 The Unavoidable Shadow of Past Wars: Obsequies for Casualties of the Afghanistan War in Australia and Canada Introduction There is an essential sameness in the political purposes of giving members of the armed forces who have died in wars in the service of their community special obsequies. As Timothy W. Wolfe and Clifton D. Bryant remind us, the military funeral, “with its distinctive ceremonial characteristics and embellishments, serves to certify the deceased as a fallen warrior; it publicly legitimizes the ultimate sacrifice, provides public announcement and celebration of the individual‟s death, and memorializes the social fact of the soldier‟s demise.” Most importantly, military obsequies are supposed to ensure that “the memory of the fallen soldier is indelibly fixed in the collective consciousness of the society.”1 By the same token, however, precisely how polities choose to memorialize their war dead will manifest important differences, and will, it can be argued, inevitably reflect the politics and political culture of that community. There is perhaps no better illustration of this than how Australians and Canadians memorialized members of their armed forces who died in the war in Afghanistan. In 2001, in response to the attacks of 11 September, both the governments of Australia and Canada and a number of other countries joined the United States in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and invaded Afghanistan and overthrew the Taliban government there.
    [Show full text]