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ANZAC Day

184461

*Russian Troll*
Just after a heads-up from anybody in the know.
I now live in Oz and am ex-UK Army.
Is it acceptable to wear my UK medals to my local ANZAC Day gig or would it be frowned upon.
I really don't want to come across as a chad twat.
Cheers :)
 
I wear mine every year and haven't had any issues. You earned them and are attending in the right spirit. It's not as if you're there to show off. Be prepared to be asked to join your local RSL Sub branch, most are crying out for younger members (much like the average Legion Branch). Where are you attending?


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Absolutely acceptable and encouraged.

Basically if you served in the Commonwealth or Allied forces, you are entitled to wear your medals in Australia at appropriate events, as you would in the country they were issued.

I'll be wearing mine on Friday.
 
As ex british army, I have been warmly welcomed here in Australia during Remembrance and ANZAC parades. Also very true about them wanting you to join the RSL.
As for joining the ADF as a reservist on the other hand...that's a different matter and a long story.


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Yes, absolutely acceptable. The Aussie seem to forget the huge British involvement (and French) in the Dardanelles Campaign. I'm ex UK Forces and a Kiwi and I'll be wearing my medals on Friday at the Cenotaph, Whitehall.
 
Also very true about them wanting you to join the RSL

The RSL near us is a massive modern club with a broad membership from the surrounding suburbs, very few of whom have ever served. There is a cadre of older veterans including a diminishing handful from WW2, but the nature of the place is really rather commercial.

The club is very welcoming of ex-servicemen and women, because they are a quite small minority who struggle to maintain a remnant of the ethos of what is now a big business. That said, the general membership is very proud of and respectful to those who have served.

Wear your medals on Anzac Day in most RSLs and you won't buy a drink......
 
The Yeomanry ancestor part of my Squadron landed at ANZAC Cove in October 1915 as part of the 54th East Anglian Division. They were evacuated in December that year, to Egypt. We have the then Adjutant's war diary in our archive, for the Gallipoli campaign, that lists every single casualty over that period.

In my village we have several names on the War Memorial from other Regiments and formations that also were killed at Gallipoli.

I will be raising a glass on Friday in honour of all those that fought and fell at Gallipoli.
 
The RSL near us is a massive modern club with a broad membership from the surrounding suburbs, very few of whom have ever served. There is a cadre of older veterans including a diminishing handful from WW2, but the nature of the place is really rather commercial.

The club is very welcoming of ex-servicemen and women, because they are a quite small minority who struggle to maintain a remnant of the ethos of what is now a big business. That said, the general membership is very proud of and respectful to those who have served.......

Unfortunately that is true of the vast majority of RSLs in the major cities. They are big businesses. My local RSL has business interests in retirement villages, car washes, large land holdings etc. It was Club of the Year NSW last year and has made millions of dollars in profits.



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It is absolutely no problem - certainly here in Sydney, you can march as part of the British and Commonwealth contingent so it is absolutely encouraged. Depressingly my local RSL is similar to those described above, they practically beg me to turn up every year as one of the few members who have actually worn a uniform.
 
Just after a heads-up from anybody in the know.
I now live in Oz and am ex-UK Army.
Is it acceptable to wear my UK medals to my local ANZAC Day gig or would it be frowned upon.
I really don't want to come across as a chad twat.
Cheers :)
Don't wear your French ones, though!
 
Unfortunately that is true of the vast majority of RSLs in the major cities. They are big businesses. My local RSL has business interests in retirement villages, car washes, large land holdings etc. It was Club of the Year NSW last year and has made millions of dollars in profits.



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Often wonder about the morality of scalping poor buggers who are stupid enough to pour the rent money and the kids food money into one armed bandits.
 

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