Armistice Day 2007.

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Australia's Prime Minister John Howard honours fallen Diggers.

November 11, 2007.

PRIME Minister John Howard has paid tribute to Australia's war dead in the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the Australian War Memorial.

Mr Howard told the crowd of military officials, diplomats and members of the public that the recent deaths in Afghanistan of Trooper David Pearce and Sergeant Matthew Locke were a sad reminder of the ageless nature of sacrifice.

"That both of these deaths should have occurred at the time of an election campaign that celebrates, in a sense, the great democracy not only here but around the world, that they and others who've fallen in battle have died for," he said.

"(Their deaths have) reminded us in a real way of the nature of sacrifice in war."

Earlier, Mr Howard's official car took a wrong turn as he and his wife Janette arrived for the ceremony.

As the crowd watched, Mr Howard's car turned right where it should have turned left and had to make a second circuit of the roundabout below the war memorial.

(http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/)

Sue Bayliss. Cairns, Australia.

Lest we forget.

On 11 November 1918 at 11 am the guns of the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare. This year marks the 89th anniversary of the armistice, when Australians remember those who fought and died for our country in war and armed conflicts.

My father, two brothers, husband, brother-in-law, son, one niece, four nephews and many uncles, all served in the Australian Defence Forces. Most of them saw more than their fair share of war service. They all suffered emotionally - so have their partners, children and grandchildren!

Some years ago my late husband wrote about his experiences. The site hosting his book closed in recent years. However, the Lae Game Fishing Club in Papua New Guinea posted the introduction to his book on their site. You can access it through this link.

My husband lies at rest in Cooktown Cemetery. He has an Australian War Grave.

Prior to my husband's retirement from the Australian Defence Forces in 1976, we spent 109 months out of a total of 188 separated because of service requirements, including war service. Our son David is custodian of his father's writings. David, an archaeologist and a returned serviceman, will be putting his father's book on the 'net in its entirety again in the near future. Some of the photographs require editing and others had not appeared as they were intended. These amendments are being worked on.

In memory of our fallen servicemen, we salute you. May you rest in peace. Lest we forget.

Sue Bayliss. Cairns, Australia.