Australian flag fail ...

[Expat]

The French acutally take a lot of care of our Diggers remains over there. I have visited a WWII burial ground to see the resting place of one of my great (great) uncles. The place was clean and beautifully manicured, with a couple of grounds keepers on site.

First time in France many moons ago a bunch of us hop off the tour bus and start walking around this little village when a guy in his 60's stops and ask if we're Aussies - not Australians mind you! We answer "Yes" that four of us are and the next thing we know it's party time in France! Turns out the diggers liberated the countryside around this place in WW1 and the locals never forgot our boys. There were at least a dozen Aussie flags in windows and on walls of houses just on the main street that I hadn't noticed until then. I was told the kids are told stories about the heroic Aussies in school and every year they raise an Australian and French flag on Bastille and Armistice Days! You can keep the majority of the frogs from the big cities and don't get me started about the bloody Queeebeccccers but the French country people are salt of the earth!

[ian]

My name bar at work only has 4 stars on the southern cross, its only ever been noticed by one person and I have been wearing it for over 15 years

never knew you were a Kiwi Corbs

[corbs]

never knew you were a Kiwi Corbs

I'm no Kiwi bro... I don't do no fush und chups un sux shups cuz

Just got a dodgy name bar

[ian]

I'm no Kiwi bro... I don't do no fush und chups un sux shups cuz

Just got a dodgy name bar

sounds like someone's had a lend of you -- you know the Kiwi flag only has 4 stars in the "cross"

[corbs]

sounds like someone's had a lend of you -- you know the Kiwi flag only has 4 stars in the "cross"

Yeah but my stars are blue on a White Ensign, the Kiwi's have red stars

I would post a pic but my name bars @ work.

[Clinton1]

glad this is put to rest.

if you are interested, find out about the penny scheme in victorian public schools just after WWII and then the response by the French schools to the Kinglake fires.

I will not hear a bad word about the French public when it comes to the respect that they pay to the WWI and WWII Aussie diggers; they pay their respects in a way that should shame other countries.
As for minor stuff ups by flag suppliers, I am sure the French public raised objections as well.

I respect the care shown by Afro boy... well done... but stuff ups happen... but the French are amazing in how they express their respect for those that died defending their rights to self determination. This should be recognised.

[artme]

I have been wanting to go to Villiers Bretaneaus for as long as I can remember. I have met some people who have been there and they are always greeted as brothers by the Frenc

The same happens in Turkey. Even thought we fought against them the Turks, thanks to Attaturk, have immense respect for Australians and Kiwis. To go to Gallipoli and see how well the place is kept is humbling. The Turkish guide we had on our tour had an amazing knowledge of the history of the whole campaign and took obvious pride in showing us around and answering questions.

The Australian flag flies proudly in many parts of the world. I Don't like stuff-ups but at least the effort was made and for the right reasons. I think we can forgive this one.

[Bob38S]

The respect and attitude of the French in the Somme area towards those who fought on their behalf is certainly a lesson that all could learn from. Doing our own thing and staying in B&B's rather than large town hotels was certainly an eye-opener. I also met "Shrapnel Charlie" [Ivan Sinnaeve] who made a model of an Australian soldier out of lead shrapnel and gave it to me on the proviso that I send him an email postcard when I got home telling him that another had been returned home.

[ian]

I have been wanting to go to Villiers Bretaneaus for as long as I can remember. I have met some people who have been there and they are always greeted as brothers by the French.

don't put it off. I stayed in Arras and visited the Australian memorial in 1997 and will return for longer visit when my son is a little older.
It's something all SAussies who can should do.