Mess

I’m still thinking about my grandfather at war and it occurs to me that one of the most welcomed sights would have been a mess tent. The family understands that he was a stretcher bearer and I can only imagine what it was like to hear those words, “The mess tent is over there so go and get a feed”. I am under no illusions as to how bad that food would have been. I can even imagine that the tea would have been weak and not always hot but it was still better than going hungry. Being wet, cold and tired would have only added to the blessing of being able to put something into his stomach. I’m sure there were days though when he would have been too tired or too emotionally affected by what he had seen and experienced to even be able to swallow or chew food.

These are only some of the trials that the men went through in order to make sure that we would be able to live where we are now. Anzac Day is a day that we put aside to honour these brave soldiers and yet I have to wonder what they would think of the mess that we have made of the country and economy today.

Also without meaning to generalise I wonder if we don’t dishonour their sacrifice in the way we treat each other. They were mates who worked together no matter what their previous social status was. Rich, poor, city dweller or bushy were suddenly placed into a position where if they were to survive they had to put all these issues aside and accept what was being dished out to them all.

So let’s honour our soldiers who cared, worked and put up with so much more than we ever have had to by treating all people equally, every day.