those that know me well will say that i wouldn't have a serious bone in my body, but i have posted this thread in the "nonsense" section of bellett.net as it is the most fitting place for it, but it's content certainly ISN'T nonsense...

a day as important as ANZAC Day to both the nation's of Australia and New Zealand should be commemorated wherever possible, to not only pay tribute to our men and women who have served our great nation's during time of war and protect what was their home, but to especially remember those who paid the ultimate price to protect a homeland they would never see again, that has now become our home.
while most of us here would never have witnessed the pure destruction and stupidity of war, and hopefull we never will, no doubt we all have family and friends who have, and as those who did these heroic deeds of sacrifise get older, it has become the responsibility of us, their decendants, to carry on these tributes on ANZAC Day, and to ensure that our children are educated and continue with, what i believe, to be the most important tradition that Australia and New Zealand share, as one day, we will be gone as well.
also, on this sacred day, we think of those men and women who currently serve our nation's in far away fields, and we wish them all a safe and happy return home soon.

LEST WE FORGET.

please feel free to add your own tribute's below.
my family gives thanks to:
*Lieut. J.M Cook. AIF WW1 & RAAF WW2. Gallipoli, wounded 15/8/15. awarded Military Medal for galantry 24/3/17. wounded France 24/4/17.
*Gunner C.M. Cook. RAA WW2.
*Flt/Off. F.R.M. Cook. RAF WW2. Spitfire pilot killed in action over Holland 24/8/44. only 21 years old.......
*Flt/Lieut. A.J.M. Cook. RAAF WW2.
*Cpl. A.G.H. Wild. RAA WW2.
*Sgt. R.H. Murray. RAA WW2.
*Pte. B.G. Murray. RAA WW2. POW 1941-1945, Changi, Burma Railway.
*Cfn. G.A. Wild. RAA CMF Vietnam.

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.


Private Howard Thomas Nelson Smith. 18th Australian Ordinance Stores. Dad.
Love You.
Matthew.

Private George Albert Edwards - 36 Battalion - Pop
Flying Officer Edward John Carey - Air Force Headquarters - RAAF - Grandpa

I have to admit, I did not know their ranks or battalions etc, however I remembered this website:

http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/

...was set up about 8 years ago and will give you the full list within seconds.

George didn't see much action; essentially taught diggers to drive trucks in NSW.... although at his funeral in 2000 the priest put some creative writing skills into his eulogy and commended his late (ex-)wife for nursing him back to health after the horrors he saw during the war....

I know Ted served in PNG and when he died in 1992, it was put down to some kind of dormant malaria bug he may have got over there. I think. I was 14, so I may be wrong.

They both must have forgave and forgot; George only ever owned five cars total and two of them were Toyotas, while Ted owned, among others, a Mitsubishi-built Chrysler Galant and a Mazda 323.

I know this bit isn't about war and rememberance... but it's a car forum so I had to mention cars!

Indeed, for those that returned and those that did not, lest we forget.

Interesting, Dad was a truck driver & got his licence in the Army in NSW. I wonder if............
Dad carted stores from the wharves in New Guinea to the camps. His primary work all his life involved driving trucks or busses. He bought a 1959 Isuzu TX-550 6 Ton prime mover, lengthened the Chassis & started carting pipes in the early '60s. Thus began our association with Isuzus. Loaded, it could see off any pommie truck up the Blue Mountains & particularly down the other side as it had a 6.1 lt Diesel motor & 5 speed overdrive 'box.
Good stuff for a kid. For a long while he carted fruit & vegies from Sydney markets to Bathurst, and I got to go with him sometimes.
Wouldn't I love to find one of those trucks now? - About as rare as a Prince Clipper!
Good memories.
Matt.

No particular association with Anzac Day, but I'm amazed at the number of bellettiers who have history. War is historically recurrent but also the unescessary demise of humanity (in my books). Maybe that's why there was a peace revolution in the 60's-70's.

Both my parents (european) were influenced by WW2, quite possibly initiating the move to Oz. (That's another story... the quad prop DC3 which lost three engines and did the emergency landing in Bombay !!) Fortunately they did not suffer too much at the hands of Hitler and Mossulini but did witness some awfull atrosities.

That's a great story Matt. Brings back some memories also. When I got back to Autria, age 10, my father was also a truck driver and a fine furniture maker. I got to travel over some crazy mountain passes with him, in the 2 tonne company Bedford. The next year the company up graded to Mercedes, which, for an 11 year old was like stepping up onto a throne !!

B.

Matt that was an awesome leap of faith by your oldies; buying a Japanese truck only 14 years after the war finished!

My mate is a tragic for Mark 1 Cortinas because that's what his parents had. He said that when his parents went looking for a car in the 1970s, they considered a Bellett, however one of his grandparents did all the servicing on their cars and told them if they bought something Japanese like a Bellett he wouldn't lay a spanner on it and they would be on their own!

He said that if his grandfather had been a bit less biased, it would be highly likely he'd be a Bellett enthusiast and not a Cortina enthusiast!

Poor Grandpa must have spent the rest of his years putting out spotfires in crappy British cars rather than doing the odd service and lube job on the sporty Bellett!

Thanks fellas. Memories. The 6 Toner was so good, they found one for Gary, then a damaged one for parts. Then Gary bought a '67 Bellett, then Dennis a 66 1/2 benchy, then Greg a Wasp, then Dennis an Elf 2 toner. All of these were in our backyard on & off, and I was about 8. Any wonder I'm an Isuzu tragic!
Oh yeah, then Greg bought a new '68 Colt fastback (like the one at the nationals). I have soft spot for them too!
These days I like the look of those CorTINas, but naaah, made in England!
Cheers, Matt.

Hi all
Thank you for sharing on your day of remembrance,and I salute all the men and women that served the call of their country.
I just wanted to comment that we have here in the Tampa area a few Aussie and NZ armed forces members serving and contributing to the current conflict and when I see them around the base or in the commisary I want to say "Hey there are you familiar with Isuzu Belletts" but they are generally busy about their day and I havent worked up enough nerve to say anything to them, someday I'll have to strike up a conversation with one of your military members see where they are from and such .....

Regards
Mark

u'll probably get the normal... "an isuzu what??" answer mark. that's a common occurance here!

us aussie and kiwis are a pretty friendly and laid back bunch, so i'd think they'd luv a "stranger" saying "g'day" and having the time to chat, especially being in a foriegn land, even tho it's a friendly allie, but they are still so far from home. and if u do speak to them, please pass on my thanks to them for the job they do, and let them know how proud our countries are of them all.
cheers mate!