Should they come home?

Outbackjack · 08-11-2006, 11:20 PM

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems...1/s1783380.htm

After reading this I was thinking to myself if these poor souls should be brought home and why should they be buried overseas. My first thoughts are that we should as a nation should take better care of our veterans, both living and dead. The Americans are very good at repatriating their dead. If a US service mans remains are found, they send out a special team to find, identify, and bring home the remains. Why dont we do the same????

Casper · 08-11-2006, 11:21 PM

In my opinion (and its jsut my opinion) All Australians should be brought home for burial unless they have clearly expressed other wishes.

mik · 08-11-2006, 11:30 PM

they ( pollies dont give a **** about our vets ) they pennie pinch about medical expenses for the poor buggers, not the lucky country for our diggers

XR Martin · 08-11-2006, 11:39 PM

My neighbour whos and ex WWII vet gets very well looked after medically from what he tells me.

XR Martin · 08-11-2006, 11:41 PM

To add, I dont think those individuals should be brought home, they should be buried with their mates. (actually they really should be left where they are)

mik · 08-11-2006, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

My neighbour whos and ex WWII vet gets very well looked after medically from what he tells me.

what about the guys dying from cancer who couldnt get a payout till 90% of em were dead .... not much joy for them

Bill_R · 08-11-2006, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mik

what about the guys dying from cancer who couldnt get a payout till 90% of em were dead .... not much joy for them

good point. take care of the living first.

JG66ME · 08-11-2006, 11:49 PM

The WW1 Commonweath War Graves in France and Belgium are a sight to behold. They are maintaned to a very high standard. They should find the unit they came from and put them with thier mates. I am sure that is where they would want to be. At the end of the day, they signed for King and Country but they fought for the man stood next to them.

I have a great Uncle that was killed fighting in the battle of the Somme on the 29th September 1916 attacking the Verdun Redoubt. He is burried in Conaught Cemetery, Thiepville. I couldnt think of a more beautiful resting place for him.

Bringing soldiers home is a recent thing. These men fought in a past age and the proper respect is the Australian Cemetery in Belgium. What will most likely happen is a proper honour gaurd stand through the night, called the catafaulk guard, with arms at the reverse order. They will then by placed with thier mates in a part of Belgium that will forever be Australia.

Thank God that they have finaly been found. These men faced horrors that we today cannot comprehend.

Steve

XR Martin · 09-11-2006, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mik

what about the guys dying from cancer who couldnt get a payout till 90% of em were dead .... not much joy for them

Havnt heard anything about that, got a link or something?

Psycho Chicken · 09-11-2006, 07:09 PM

Leave them there. What's with all this hoo-ar leave no man behind seppo crap?

My grandfather is buried in England and there's no way in hell I'd want him disurbed and dragged half away across the world just so he's in Australia.

mik · 09-11-2006, 09:57 PM

it was on the box ages ago current afair i think.

drcook · 10-11-2006, 12:40 AM

their dead...dont think they'd notice. leave them in peace.

Van D · 10-11-2006, 12:53 AM

Leave them.. well move them to their mates at least. I doubt they'd have wanted to be taken home, especially if they can't identify them.

GCFordChic · 10-11-2006, 01:08 AM

They were seemingly laid to rest where they were found as opposed to being left on the battleground.

If they HAVE to be moved, move them to once again join those they fought and died beside.

Outbackjack · 10-11-2006, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psycho Chicken

Leave them there. What's with all this hoo-ar leave no man behind seppo crap?

My grandfather is buried in England and there's no way in hell I'd want him disurbed and dragged half away across the world just so he's in Australia.

These guys were buried with some consideration, now they have to be moved due to development.

The American model is based on what the American service men and families want. Who are we to argue. No-one is advocating digging up your Grand Dad and shipping him back to OZ.

But if these guys could be identified, shouldn't the families be given the choice?? If there is any family.

Why do you dis-like Americans so much??

Mutley · 10-11-2006, 02:10 AM

Not every soldier dies with a bullet through the head. What happens when they get burnt or blown to pieces? What if you don't find all of them?

Leave them there in my opinion. Remember them at the war memorial, both at home and abroad. What purpose does bringing them home achieve? It is their spirit, memories and contribution that you grieve for when they're dead, not their physical body.

There is also a cost. Better off spending this money on the returned wounded and families that have lost a father.

banarcus · 10-11-2006, 02:17 AM

I've been to a fair few Commonwealth War Graves including those in Belgium. There is/was never an issue leaving them there in the first place and believe me, they take real good care of our war dead over there.

Keepleft · 10-11-2006, 10:26 AM

The Australian War Graves Commission look after war graves-cemetries from WW1 and on, around the world.

Prior to that though, our State and Territory forces are (or were) not maintained by this Commonwealth body. South Africa holds cemetries comprising NSW (and VIC et al?) forces who died in the Boar war, these are run down places, 'forgotten' by the people and government care agencies.

A campaign had been made to have the Australian War Graves Commission adjust their agency responsibilities to include the resting places of these earlier conflicts.

Not too up to date on developments.

GXL078 · 10-11-2006, 10:53 AM

Let them rest in peace. Bringing them home would just be another way of diverting attention away from the real political issues, like all of John Howard's LIES.

Sapper · 10-11-2006, 11:31 AM

Yeah, leave them where they are and put up a small marker/memorial at the sight. Will serve as a reminder to those overseas that we shed blood for their freedom. Its about time we got some respect as a nation from the rest of the world.

Psycho Chicken · 10-11-2006, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outbackjack

These guys were buried with some consideration, now they have to be moved due to development.

And that's fair enough. What's wrong with the war cemetary in Belgium? They are all extremely well looked after (more than can be said about the German ones). If you start bring them back where do you draw the line?

Quote:

The American model is based on what the American service men and families want. Who are we to argue. No-one is advocating digging up your Grand Dad and shipping him back to OZ.

The yanks are mostly trying to find Vietnam vets still listed as MIA. Which is fair enough, the chances of them being given a proper burial in the first place is pretty slim.

Quote:

But if these guys could be identified, shouldn't the families be given the choice?? If there is any family.

Again, where do you draw the line? I doubt these guys will be identified with anything short of DNA testing (imagine the cost and time on that). While we're at it let's dig up the unknown soldier at the AWM and find out who he is.

Quote:

Why do you dis-like Americans so much??

I don't see where I said that?

Quote:

Originally Posted by hot xr6

Yeah, leave them where they are and put up a small marker/memorial at the sight. Will serve as a reminder to those overseas that we shed blood for their freedom. Its about time we got some respect as a nation from the rest of the world.

The people in that part of the world don't need a reminder of anything. A lot of the towns there do things on ANZAC day. If that's not respect I don't know what is.

Outbackjack · 10-11-2006, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psycho Chicken

And that's fair enough. What's wrong with the war cemetary in Belgium? They are all extremely well looked after (more than can be said about the German ones). If you start bring them back where do you draw the line?

The yanks are mostly trying to find Vietnam vets still listed as MIA. Which is fair enough, the chances of them being given a proper burial in the first place is pretty slim.

Again, where do you draw the line? I doubt these guys will be identified with anything short of DNA testing (imagine the cost and time on that). While we're at it let's dig up the unknown soldier at the AWM and find out who he is.

I don't see where I said that?

The people in that part of the world don't need a reminder of anything. A lot of the towns there do things on ANZAC day. If that's not respect I don't know what is.

You reffered to Americans as seppo's. Just got me wondering thats all. So, we should have buried Pvt Kovco in Iraq? the 2000 odd US service men should stay there??
I am still on the fence on this, but if my G Grand father was ever found in France I would want his remains brought back and be placed with my GGrand mother. Like I said, perhaps family should have the last say. And what of the cost? Look at what they (the vets) paid. What would THEY have wanted??

Cheers.

Psycho Chicken · 10-11-2006, 09:10 PM

Always call em seppos. The US military types can be a bit funny at times, but I've got nothing against them. The comment was half in jest anyway.

Kovco and the Americans dying in Iraq? Bring them home. But you'd have to agree it's a little bit different to unidentified diggers who have been there for 90 years and have most of their mates burried there as well.

MO · 10-11-2006, 11:35 PM

Outbackjack..psycho chicken...simmer fellas..if it were me I would prefer to be buried with those that I fought along side with where we bought it.

As much as the bond between soldier and family are strong the bond between soldiers is so much stronger.

I think you get my drift.

Hawk · 11-11-2006, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JG66ME

The WW1 Commonweath War Graves in France and Belgium are a sight to behold. They are maintaned to a very high standard. They should find the unit they came from and put them with thier mates. I am sure that is where they would want to be. At the end of the day, they signed for King and Country but they fought for the man stood next to them.

I have a great Uncle that was killed fighting in the battle of the Somme on the 29th September 1916 attacking the Verdun Redoubt. He is burried in Conaught Cemetery, Thiepville. I couldnt think of a more beautiful resting place for him.

Bringing soldiers home is a recent thing. These men fought in a past age and the proper respect is the Australian Cemetery in Belgium. What will most likely happen is a proper honour gaurd stand through the night, called the catafaulk guard, with arms at the reverse order. They will then by placed with thier mates in a part of Belgium that will forever be Australia.

Thank God that they have finaly been found. These men faced horrors that we today cannot comprehend.

Steve

Good post. I agree with you, they should be buried with their mates.