Anzac Day 2012

 Well it was that time of year when I grab a few nevilles in the middle of the night, and drive into Perth at 3 in the morning for the ANZAC Dawn service. This year I had with me Jacko, Sarah and Harrison, but we did lose Oscar this time as Nana Young was taken the two little ones for a day out.

 

A photo of the Cenotaph before dawn.

During the dawn we listen to the ‘Reveille’ which is one of a number of bugle calls in military tradition that mark the phases of the day, the Reveille signals the start of a soldier's day and usually sounded at dawn.                                                      

 Here's the mob with the War Memorial in the back ground which was made back in 1929, and as you can see most of the people that were celebrating Anzac Day have moved on. Today just over 40,000 Sandgropers turned out for the Dawn service, isn't it great that so many people turn out for this amazing day.

 

Down underneath the Cenotaph in the crypt they have the names of our fallen heroes, Great soldiers from Western Australia who died during the two Great Wars. Here's Harrison with a fella with the same name as he's (but as a surname), and Jacko found his name just next door.  

 

Now it was time for our Champagne Breakfast... well without the champers, and could you ask for a better backdrop then this! 

As we were leaving the Park a young sheilah asked if we would like to have a photo together, so their you go you get to see my ugly mug in a photo.

 

As we usually do we found a soldier who fought in the War and found out who they were, and today we found a fella named Sergent Mark Richard Korbosky. Service No 406721, who signed up leaving his wife Margaret behind as he joined the RAAF 32 Squadron.

 

At the age of 28 he was a crew member on the Lockheed Hudson Mark IVa A16-101 and stationed at '7-mile Drome' at Port Moresby, where it left on the night of March the 3rd, 1942. The Hudson was one of five that took off from that airstrip on a night bombing mission over Gasmata Airfield, that was on New Britain Island which was situated just above Papua New Guinea. The aircraft reached the target and during the bombing crashed onto a coral reef off Gasmata. Also lost that night was another Hudson A16-165 unfortunately all crewman were killed, lost that night along with Sargent Korbosky were  Flying Officer Nicolay, Sargent Cass and Sargent Coppin who had been married for just one week.Sgt Korbosky was another great Australian lost in that dreadful War, the very least we can do is spend a little time reminiscing about what these brave soldiers gave up for us...       

'When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today'

lest we forget 

Sculptuers at the beach

Last year we missed Sculptures by the sea because the little fella Harrison was in Princess Margaret Hospital, so we weren't gonna miss another one and this years sculptures were actually pretty good. Here is our first one which goes by the name 'BORDER', and I reckon it's my favourite one of the day. It is made by a bloke named Leonard Sabol from NSW, and was made from stainless steel by using the old blacksmithing trade. It's statement is 'Ever changing reflection', and to me it's just a big beaut lump of stainless steel.... love it!





Now this red fella caused a bit off a fuss this year when two young fellas thought it was a beaut idea to steal it, so a few days after this photo was taken they used a hacksaw to cut the sculpture off at its feet and... well... run off with it. Now these two fellas weren't the smartest of fellas as CCTV caught all of it on camera, and it wasn't long before they were caught at home by the coppers and thrown in Jail. Now yes I did laugh when I heard of it but I know these blokes won't be laughing as this little red fella costs $65,000 Crikey! A lot of money for a practical joke hay... suckers.

This Sculpture is called 'SHIP OF FOOLS' by a Victorian sheilah Deborah Halpern and Fair dinkum this is actually a pretty good one, I love the colour and the design is just out their.... cool.

This one is from China and goes by the name of 'MEETING1' and to me is just a little weird, but as you can see Oscar felt right at home and gave one a little hug.

Now this one I liked and goes by the name 'OVERTURE' and was made by a bloke from the New South ways Bruce Radke, it's made from steel and is a bunch of music notes from a Conductors hand that's a pretty cool idea.






Now this one is another that I can relate too and looks pretty cool, it's called 'VEHICLE' (well join-the-dots!) and was made by a West Australian Jean-Marc Rivalland.

Again another one I liked called 'CHIMNEY TOTEM' which was made out of beaut local Jarrah wood, the bloke who made it Tony Davis made the Jarrah into wood bricks.... now that's a different idea hay.












Yet another beaut sculpture and this one was made by a fella named Paul Caporn, this is called 'DUMP' and was made out of EVA foam mats. The kids liked it but was a bit disappointed they couldn't climb on it, oh well when they have a job and can spare $20,000! they can go for it.







Then we came to one called 'SAND ROYALTY' made by another Perth sheilah Kath Wheatley, i'm not sure what it's about but I think that's what it's all about.... not knowing quite sure what it's all about.















Now this one is called 'CRIKEY'  and you can see the fine lines and effort put in by the maker, Harrison gave it the double thumbs up but as you can see it got the biggest reaction from the big Osk! With both arms up strewth... good on ya little fella.

Now this one pretty well sells it's self 'OMG' which in computer Aussie language say's Strewth! which could go well with the last sculpture.







While walking along the beach we then came to this one called 'MIGRATING SPIRITS' by our own local Middleswan bloke Ron Gomboc, again I like these but for $60,000 it's just a little out of our range.... 'Hay kids don't touch'.







Then we came to our last sculpture on our list which is called 'LIGHTHOUSE' by a fella called Tony Jones, another one I liked and having it out on the rocks looked like it was right at home. But it was getting on a bit and the little natives were getting hungry, as you can see Oscar was starting to complain. Well you can't blame them all these great things to jump and climb on, but being told 'Don't touch','Dooonnn'tttt',and my favorite 'Touch that and I'll touch YOU'. So now were off to the beach down Fremantle way so the kid's can have a good swim and climb over all the swings.... and get all that frustration out of there little systems.

Gloucester Park

Well yours truly got his hands on a few free tickets to the first leg of Perth's most spectacular Harness racing night, that's right the INTER DOMINION at the world famous (well in Perth anyway) Gloucester Park. Tonight it was gonna be me the minster for war (the misses) and Jacko n' Harrison having a night out at the races.

And there off n' racing.... well Jacko n' the misses  got the first winner of the night with a favourite getting up called UNCLE KRACKER paying a nice little earner, but didn't pay as much as my horse would.... if it had won! the old BAKERANDTHEFATMAN came in a fighting sixth but would of payed a nice little $13. But that didn't
stop little Jacko giving it to me...little bugger.





Then it was the little meerkat himself Harrison to get a nice winner up, paying $3 for the win, but seeing that we had a little betting shop going between them and me he walked away with a nice $1. Which he was very happy with... well he would wanna be seeing he doesn't have to put any money into the pot (little buggers).

Here's Jacko n' Harrison with the winning post behind them, and also another win behind them for Jacko this time... this was getting embarrassing











And there goes another race where the two little mugs take me to the cleaners, at least Harrison didn't win this one he came in third but his horse did beat the rest of us so it was a little winner for him.
















Then it was time for some hot chips a nice cold coke and a seat up in the stand to give the freckle a rest, and from there we watched a ripper race where a New Zealand horse called SMOKEN UP got up for a beaut win paying the huge amount of $1.10. Crikey I nearly payed as much to the winner as the friggin'
 TAB as Jacko had the first pick this race and he just smiled when he picked it (little bugger).

There goes Smoken up... 'go you good thing' and also there goes the last of the hot chips, so we got up to pop back down for our last race for the night.










And the last race went to the misses getting another favourite up as IM THE MIGHTYQUINN went on for a great win in his heat, this horse would go on to win the mighty V75 INTER DOMINION PACING CHAMPIONSHIP from another horse we watched tonight SMOKEN UP. And that was our night at the races, as usual I won bugger all and the kiddies won a nice earner for there bank accounts (trust me they were a bit surprised about that bit of the deal also, they thought it was going on icecream n' Maccas!! ha,ha at least I got the last laugh hay) But just to put the boot into me as we walked out the gate, Jacko turned to me and said 'Hay Dad it's not that hard to pick a winner hay'... little #@&#er!!!

Poor little sod

This is what happens when a little fella takes on a Hymenoptera ..... or what we normal people call a bloody wasp, and as you can see which one came of second best!

  



Within about ten minutes (even with an icepack on the scone) his face blew up quicker then an a mozzie at a butchers picnic.

And as you can see after a few hours he had the elephant man look happen', poor little sod but why would you take on a bloody wasp, well come to think of it he is a few fries short of a happy meal! But crikey a friggin' wasp, oh well i'm sure next time he see's one flying by he'll take off quicker then brides nightie!