Australian War Memorial for Eddy

I was recently in Canberra, Australia's capital city around the time of Eddy Bergman's birthday. I know Eddy is keenly interested in military history, so I decided to take a detour to the Australian War Memorial for him.

I normally restrict videos made for one person, but seeing as how 12 of my last 20 videos are Private, I thought it was about time I set one to Public. I'm aware that the video won't appeal to everyone.


NOTES ON THE VIDEO:

Australia has been involved in wars since before it even became a country in its own right. We have been in practically every significant conflict of the last century and even now the Australian Defence Force is involved in two major and three minor international deployments.

Most Australians have a profound respect for people who have served their country, but we find war to be an infinitely sad folly and while commemoration of past conflict is now taking on an almost religious quality, war is not something regarded as glorious. Although we recognise the right of people who have suffered to have their own opinions, as a nation we do not hold grudges.

The War Memorial (and therefore this video) focuses heavily on World Wars I & II but has recently expanded its exhibition space and has significant collections from both the Colonial Era and Post 1945 conflicts. The lighting inside the exhibition halls is kept low for effect and to protect the exhibits, but it makes it hard to film in there.

The main song used is about the Vietnam War because even though the video covers many conflicts, I still find this song incredibly moving. The music used right at the end is the last verse of a song about returned soldiers from World War I and the annual memorial parade remembering the Australian and Allied defeat by the Turks in the Gallipoli campaign of 1915 and all other conflicts. It is a testament to the Australian sentiment towards warfare that our national memorial day is about a futile campaign ending in defeat rather than a great victory.

PERSONAL NOTES:

1:50 shows a Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk 'Polly' which was the personal aircraft of a family friend.

3:47 shows a UH-1 Iroquois helicopter and the associated display is of an incident involving the unit that my girlfriend's father belonged to.

3:58 shows a model of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules (bottom aircraft). The individual aircraft depicted by the model was flown by my father.

I'd like to end with a quote from Mustafa Kemal Atatürk who led the Ottoman Army against the Allies at Gallipoli and later went on to found the modern Turkish nation.

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives - you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours. You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears. Your sons are now living in our bosom and are in peace. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Australian
• War
• Memorial
• Canberra
• ANZAC
• EddyBergman
• Zebidee55

[EddyBergman]

Oh, I had forgotten all about this one. Soooooo cool!

[zebidee55]

@EddyBergman Oh! I'm glad you liked it (again). It's been ages since I've watched my own videos. I'm annoyed at how YT messed with the quality on all of them during one of its upgrades. They look terrible now!

[EddyBergman]

@zebidee55 Oh yeah, I never watch my own videos back. I feel too embarrassed =) Yeah the old videos have gone way back in quality. I deleted most of them from my channel(s). I am happy with the HD format though. It looks really awesome. I remember how everyone was against the widescreen player on youtube when it was first introduced, but I was all for it even then. Now no one would want to go back to the old one I think. 

[zebidee55]

@EddyBergman yeah, I've set to private any of mine that had the sound muted, but I haven't done anything with the lower quality ones. I guess because I haven't done much with the channel recently, I haven't been paying that much attention to the old videos.

[EddyBergman]

@zebidee55 Yeah, I haven't seen you around in my subscription box, I guess that's why I twittered you. To sort of poke you in the ribs and say 'Get yer camera out and make more videos!!' hahaha. Hey and if you find yourself in the north of germany (or even Holland) anywhere within a 100 kilometer range of Groningen then please give a shout. I still wanna meet up when we can!! I'm the only one that has never seen any of our little group of friends. :(

[zebidee55]

@EddyBergman oh definitely! I've been trapped in Germany this year due to my girlfriend's illness. We were supposed to be in Amsterdam in May, about a week after she was diagnosed, so all the plans for the year completely went on hold.

[LiveEvilOz]

I Went Here Too.

[EddyBergman]

@zebidee55 Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I didn't know she was ill at all. This has all gone by me because i was in that bloody clinic I guess. What's wrong then? Is she okay? (Better PM me the reply to this as it's none of other peoples business I guess)

[zebidee55]

Oh, I haven't heard the song - I'll go check it out. Thanks for the tip!

[lapalad]

That speech was the focus of the Midnight oils song "Blossom and Blood".

[zebidee55]

I totally agree with what you say about Ataturk. His attitude is a shining example of how leaders should regard war.

[ozzies333]

Cool video thank you for sharing. It takes a noble person to say what Ataturk said after the war. I have seen the movie "Gallipoli", great movie.

[zebidee55]

I totally agree with the sentiment, if not the way you put it. Ataturk is massively respected here as one of the greatest military and civilian leaders of the modern era, so in a way it surprises me that there's not more about him in the War Memorial itself.

[CaseClosed23]

anyway I was at the War Memorial in Canberra Australia, And they have a Small Ataturk Head in the Darkest corner with Bird shit on it. and a paragraph of Info, In Turkey WE HAVE A FUCKING ANZAC WAR MEMORIAL CENTRE AND SHIT were is the respect

[zebidee55]

Eddy is a good real life friend of mine in Holland. His username is EddyBergman.

Just letting you know, very few people will respond to sub requests here. The best way to get subscribers is by making videos people like. Do that and they'll find you. I did like your video by the way.

[jorda171]

um can u add me as a friend and watch my vid and whos eddie anyways i liked it alot so ima fav it 4 ya and subscribe so can u subscribe 2 my channel plz by jorda 171

[zebidee55]

No worries - a lot of us go there in school and don't really appreciate it until we go back as adults. Glad you liked it, and thanks for the favourite!

[jorda171]

dude ty 4 remiding me of dat place i went their and i fordot alot of things so ty

[zebidee55]

Oh thanks Rick! That means a lot to me. Glad you liked it. :D

[zebidee55]

Absolutely.

[kalifstorch25]

Yeah, youre rught, war should become an Memory.

[zebidee55]

Thanks Curt - I forgot this would overlap with your studies a little. Glad you liked it.

The song was written from interviews with soldiers from the war and went to No. 1 in Australia. There was a recent remake by hiphop group The Herd. I still find the song incredibly moving.

[OhCurt]

Not a war historian, but I do love history - so this was very cool to see.

The first song is new to me - WOW!

Powerful to say the least.

Thank you for making this public.

[zebidee55]

Oh cool Andrea! Wow - Canberra eh? Man, if I could choose where in Australia I was sent to study, it probably wouldn't be my first choice, but I guess the Unis there offer the best courses in International Relations and stuff.

Glad you liked it!

[carmadillotanzen]

Hey there! This is a great video, the music and footage go really well together. My friend/previous roommate is studying abroad in Canberra right now, how cool is that? :)