this post was submitted on 24 Apr 2026
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Morning Grandad.
You really were still a baby, weren't you?
My gramps (WW2) never said many words about his time over there.
The only real story he'd happily tell was in tobruk, they captured a bunch of italian doctors and locked them up. Doctors were separated and kept in the doctors quarters away from general.
Every night they let the italian docs out (although they were let out almost whenever they wanted), they'd sit around, drink, smoke and share medical techniques.
They all wrote to each other for years after the war.
He also strictly prohibited anyone in the family going to the parades which was interesting. Didn't give a reason, just went silent when asked.
My grandfather and father (WW2 in the navy) never went to the parades either. I asked Dad about that and he said he couldn't stand having all that sacrifice turned into a Jolly Day Out for the Kids. He did go to the pub though, as he put it, to NOT talk about it - just to drink some of it away with people that had shared in it.
Back when PM John Howard started really going the rah rah rah stuff about the ANZACs, it was notable that most of the WW1 veterans had died by then. So there wasn't much push back about making a cheerful nationalistic myth out of all that suffering. And the films.
Both my grandparents fought in WW2 but were child abusers so I don't really care what their stories are, or care to convene with family members who overlook that shit to the detriment of people still alive and suffering from their actions. Putting that aside, do you think any services anywhere talk about the current rise of fascism?
Yep. Granted that kids were considered adult a bit faster then than now, but still .... My maternal grandfather went to war aged 17 and a bit - near enough to 18 to get past the recruiting sergeant. Along with five of his brothers. Only he came home.
He's 19 there, but only by about six weeks.
Needed his Mum's permission on the paperwork - they didn't used to let you sign on your own until 21
WW2 yes, WW1 (my grandfather) was a lot less structured.
My great-grandfather (poppy, i knew him quite well i was in my late teens when he passed) signed up at 16. Ended up in the 23rd Australian infantry.
Yes, he spent the rest of his life half mad with PTSD
Yes, horrible trauma leaves marks.
It was true in WW1 as well…but a lot of boys faked the signature.
Thank you Grandad. 🌿
His name was Frank. He looks like a Frank