Lest we Forget

[LongHair]

 

[doob]

Aboriginal men from Lake Tyers, Victoria, waiting outside the Quarter Master's Store for their 2nd Australian Imperial Forces uniform, circa. 1940.


Lest We Forget.





Photo credit: Argus newspaper

 

[doob]

To Australia's shame, these men, if they returned alive, weren't entitled to the repatriation benefits white Australian soldiers got. Didn't have citizenship, took years to make changes to the system. And many of these poor bastards, if the bullets didn't get 'em, the poverty upon return to their country certainly did.

I bet none of them got their 'patch of land' that white soldiers were guaranteed.

 

[doob]

[video=youtube;1EY7lYRneHc]

 

[doob]

[video=youtube;G9GO5-dnTN0]

 

[doob]

To Australia's shame, these men, if they returned alive, weren't entitled to the repatriation benefits white Australian soldiers got. Didn't have citizenship, took years to make changes to the system. And many of these poor bastards, if the bullets didn't get 'em, the poverty upon return to their country certainly did.

I bet none of them got their 'patch of land' soldiers were guaranteed.

I re-read my comment and looked at the photo again and it struck me. Look how well fed these young soldiers look like. What happened to the indigenous people after that? Did they descend in skinny scrawny men living of the land and descending into alcoholism or were they able to somehow survive. Did returning Vietnam Vets have it just as hard? I doubt it.

 

[doob]

 

[doob]

 

[doob]