Did you know the first British Empire shot fired
in World War 1 came from Australia?
Me neither…
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| Lest we forget |
As the world commemorates the 100th anniversary
since the start of World War 1
our Aussie news is full of world leaders across Britain and Europe
attending the various WW1 services.
Britons were urged to:
‘Turn your lights out to remember the fallen’
and our young royals have been in Belgium.
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| Wild seas have claimed many a life here at Point Nepean but the single shot changed the course of history… |
I feel connected.
I remember our family members lost.
The Great War started after Germany invaded a small country called Belgium.
A country we know well, having lived there for many years.
We have trudged around the Flanders fields,
we walked with heavy hearts in what remain of the trenches
and we’ve observed the last post at Ypes.
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| Point Nepean National Park |
Locally on the Mornington Peninsula,
an hours drive out of Melbourne
‘The First Shot’ commemoration was held today.
On 5th August 1914
less than four hours after Britain declared war
Australia fired the first shot.
It was fired from Fort Nepean towards the German Merchant vessel SS Pfalz.
They tell us on the news today the shot landed so close
that water sprayed onto the decks
and the Pfalz surrendered.
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| Looking out over Port Phillip Bay |
Visiting recently it looks an unlikely place to start a world war.
Point Nepean National Park is remote, rugged and beautiful.
Today at 12.45pm, exactly 100 years on
the anniversary was marked by a Tiger Moth flyover
and the firing of a artillery howitzer.
How and why Australians became involved is interesting to me.
One hundred years ago, Australia was a young nation;
only fourteen years out from Federation.
With this one shot,
Australia took it’s place
on the world stage on August 5th 2014.
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| A bleak posting… |
Many of the colonialists of the day originated from the United Kingdom
which they continued to call ‘home’ or the ‘Mother Country’
I can relate to this.
It was only natural when the ‘call to arms’ came
that Australian’s wouldn’t hesitate.
‘If the old Country is at war, then so are we’
Today walking around the park
there is plenty of evidence to remind you
of the past history…
That one shot started World War One for the world.
‘They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.’
For the Fallen, a poem by the English poet and writer Laurence Binyon
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| At the going down of the sun at Port Nepean, we will remember them..
Tonight is a night to remember the darkness of war |
Linking with Our World Tuesday
Thanks to all the hosts
Thanks to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe Thursday
