Description: A view of the shell-cratered battlefield of Westhoek Ridge as seen from Stirling Castle on September 20th, 1917. The image was taken around 9 AM, the time which troops of the Australian 1st and 2nd Divisions were operating in the area.
Description: The remains of two knocked-out tanks on the muddy fields of the Ypres sector on September 20th, 1917. Surrounding them are the bodies of two deceased soldiers.
HMQS Gayundah (later HMAS Gayundah), a flat iron gunboat, started service in 1884, enjoyed a busy work life from war duties which ended in 1921, gravel barge and finally in 1958 was run aground to become a breakerwater at Redland Bay QLD.
“On 9 April 1903, the Gayundah transmitted the first wireless message received from a ship at sea to an Australian wireless station. The historic message sent to the receiving station in Brisbane read: “Gun drill continued this afternoon and was fairly successful – blowing squally and raining – prize firing tomorrow. Marconi insulators were interfered with by rain but easily rectified and communication since has been good. Good night.” The ship’s aerial was a tall bamboo pole lashed to the mast.[5][10]” Wikipedia
Gayundah’s 6 inch gun was removed prior to being beached and is now housed at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. I am glad, once she has physically faded away at the beach, her memory will live on with her large gun.
Pigeon steals poppies from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia in order to build a nest beside a stained glass window.
This is two pigeons, pigeons nest in bonded pairs (notice the first one is checked and its mate on the nest is barred). Usually they don’t make nests nearly so big but I guess if you have the materials, go for it.
The nest is so unusually big because the vast majority is a platform to keep the actual nest (just that tiny ring in the corner around the bird sitting in it) cushioned from the anti bird spikes.
This is a work of beautiful defiance.
Using the very thing installed to make just a moment’s rest impossible as structural supports for an immovably stable nursery.
The symbolism achieved by these pigeons is better than some writers can hope for and I love it!
From the nest on the bird repellent spikes to the fact that those spikes are along the stained glass windows of a church, a place associated with sanctuary and compassion. The fact that the nest is made of stolen poppies for remembrance day hits the hardest though. Of the 54 animals to be awarded the Dickin Medal for acts of gallantry during WW2, 32 of them were pigeons. These were messengers who flew through battlefields and across borders, many of whom were killed or severely injured by enemy forces including gunfire and trained falcons. Many of their achievements saved the lives of hundreds of soldiers, and yet now their descendants are faces with anti-bird spikes, shooting and poisoning in an attempt to rid the cities from the rats with wings. I love this picture because it feels like they’re taking back just a little bit of that credit owed to them.
Reblogging for this beautiful addition.
One of the pigeons who saved a lot of men is called Cher Ami - and Cher Ami saved a battalion lost in the Argonne suffering friendly fire and a lack of supplies.
@bobolobocus if you (or anyone else) wants to know the details and/or see a picture of Cher Ami, here’s on of the additions I made to this post. Reminder to everyone for the millionth time that this is a war memorial, not a church. Check out my blog for more Great War content.
