Every year in Australia, the 25^th April is observed as a day to reflect on the sacrifices made by those original ANZACS [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] who gave their lives for King and country at Gallipoli. Eventually it became a day of remembering all those who died or were maimed in battle in wars to the present day. My own father served in the 41st Battalion of the Australian Army  in France and Belgium from 1916 to1918 enlisting when he was almost 20 years of age. Praise God that he was uninjured and returned home in 1919 physically fit and mentally strong. But every year he would march in the Anzac Day marches to honour friends he had lost in war. 

I would like to include an article written by my good friend and colleague in ministry John Wyndham who has just turned 90 years of age who served as a chaplain in the Vietnam War. 

Below is his story 

John Wyndham on ANZAC DAY. 2 Samuel 23:17 

I grew up with the ANZAC story embedded in my life. My mother lost her brother and her fiancée at Lone Pine. I was given my second baptismal name after that brother. I served in Vietnam as a chaplain. 

While I have many personal stories, let me share one from World War II that Paul Brickhill included in his book The Dambusters. 

On the evening of 13 May 1943, a squadron of 19 Lancasters took off from RAF Base Scampton in Lincolnshire in three waves. Their destination was the Ruhr Valley in Germany. Their targets were the Moehne and Eder Dams. The aim was to destroy the German war industry. 

It was a successful raid due to a bomb designed by Barnes Wallis which would bounce over nets that protected the walls of the dams. but seven aircraft failed to return and 51 crew members died. Wallis felt responsible for the deaths of the Lancaster crew members 

In 1946 Barnes Wallis was awarded £10,000 – a reward for his part in the war effort. 

He was horrified because of his anguish over the deaths of the airmen and decided to set up a trust to fund the education of the children whose RAF and RAAF fathers had died during the conflict. 

In doing so, he quoted the David’s words 2 Samuel 23:17.

“Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it. 

As I read about this in the book my curiosity was aroused. I looked up the reference to discover its context and read of an incident in the life of David. 

“During harvest time, three of the thirty chief men came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD. “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men. [2 Samuel 23:13-17] * * * * * * * * 

David was under attack from Philistine armies after Absalom’s rebellion. The Philistine garrison at Bethlehem occupied the approach to Jerusalem. David took refuge in a cave in the mountains near the Dead Sea with a loyal band of 37 men and was forced to engage in guerrilla warfare. In his predicament David longed for his hometown of Bethlehem and voiced a longing to taste the sweet water from the city well. 

So great was their love for their king that three of David’s warriors determined to risk their lives, as they often had, to fulfil his desire. They planned and mounted a commando raid to achieve this goal. 

It is not unlike many incidents experienced by men and women of our armed forces in many of the conflicts of 1914-18, 1939-45, Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam and other theatres. 

But note David’s response or reaction. He was humbled by his warriors’ act and while he appreciated what they had done, he refused to drink the water. He regarded it as too sacred and poured it out as a sacrifice to the Lord. His men would have understood.

Barnes Wallis reaction was similar in 1946. Men had gone forth in jeopardy of their lives to protect their king, their countries, their homes, their families. The men and women of our nation went forth and many paid with the loss of their lives or with permanent injury. They made a sacrifice that we might be free. 

These sacrifices of husbands, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbours, friends and comrades were greater than words can express. Those who died are often referred to as having paid the supreme human sacrifice. 

As we commemorate the Anzac landing and pause to remember it this week, let us give thanks to God for them!

But as we give our humble thanks to God for those who died that we might have freedom in this land, let us not forget another sacrifice which we celebrated less than four weeks ago – the greatest sacrifice of all. 

I speak of Jesus Christ who died that we might be eternally free! 

He came into this world with no thought for Himself. He sacrificed His life that we might be free from the penalty and bondage of sin. And, all human beings are sinners in need of salvation as Paul reminds in Romans 3:23. 

. . . all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God 

By His death on the Cross, Jesus offers salvation – a right standing before God to all. 

The men of Anzac Cove, the men of Lone Pine, the men of Villers Bretonneux, of Pozières, of Fromelles, of Ypres and Beersheba. The men of Crete, of Tobruk, of El Alamein, the men and women of Malaya and Singapore, of Sandakan, of Milne Bay and Kokoda, of the Coral Sea and other naval battles, of Borneo. The men and women of Korea, of Nui Dat and Long Tan, the Peacekeepers, those fighting terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan did not die in vain although sometimes it may seem so. 

As Lawrence Binyon wrote in his poem The Fallen, one stanza of which is now known as The Ode –  

They went with songs to the battle, they were young. Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, They fell with their faces to the foe. 

These men and women gave, and many still give, us and others a freedom which we accepted and still accept. 

But what of Jesus Christ? What of the greatest of freedoms that He offers? Redemption from the penalty and guilt of sin; reconciliation with God the Father 

Have you accepted Him and the peace with God that He offers? 

AND IT’S FREE 

Blog No.549 posted on ANZAC DAY EVE 24 April 2024.