OUR FLAG

[Maureen K Clifford]

Was sent this the other day and thought it worth sharing.



OUR FLAG (Author unknown)



Our Flag wears the stars that blaze at night,
In our Southern skies of blue,
And a little old flag in the comer,
That's part of our heritage too.
It's for the English, the Scots and the Irish,
Who were sent to the ends of the earth,
The rogues and schemers, the doers and dreamers,
Who gave modem Australia its birth.
And you, who are shouting to change it,
You don't seem to understand,
It's the flag of our laws and our language,
Not the flag of a faraway land.
Though there are plenty of people who'll tell you,
How when Europe was plunged into night,
That little old flag in the comer,
Was their symbol of freedom and light.
It doesn't mean we owe allegiance,
To a forgotten imperial dream,
We've the star to show where we're going,
And the old flag to show where we've been.
It's only an old piece of bunting,
It's only an old piece of rag,
But there are thousands who've died for it's honour,
And shed of their blood for OUR FLAG

[Dave Smith]

Maureen
Thanks for posting this verse my sentiments exactly, we need to know where we are going and we certainly need to know where we’ve been.

TTFN

[r.magnay]

G'day Maureen, I have seen that poem before somewhere and it certainly echoes my sentiments....in fact I wish I wrote it! It is a pity when stuff like that becomes Anon.

[Bob Pacey]

My sentiments to a tee. Maureen

If it ain't broke why try to fix it.

Bob

[Zondrae]

,,
and long may it fly over us.

[Heather]

Couldn't agree more.

[manfredvijars]

But there are thousands who've died for it's honour,
And shed of their blood for OUR FLAG

The above lines allude to the 2 World Wars ...

Even though the flag "Stars and Crosses" was first flown in 1901, it wasn't until the Flags Act 1953 was passed that we have our National Flag. The new status of the national flag was emphasized when the act of parliament received royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II, on Her Majesty’s visit to Australia in 1954.

In the two World Wars Australians fought under the Union Jack.

Battalion flags in WW2 would consist of the Union Jack with the Battalion's colour patch in the centre.

[manfredvijars]

... for me, it emphasises the fact we need to be vigilant in our writing and make sure we are accurate. Those little inaccuracies spoil a good write.

[Vic Jefferies]

Sorry Manfred you are not quite right re the flag.
The Australian War Memorial site says that Australians served under the Australian Blue Ensign and the Australian Red Ensign and the Union Jack in both world wars. In WW1 the Blue and the Red Ensigns and the Union Jack were extensively used in recruiting brochures, postcards and badges. In WW2 the Australian flag was more often used.
I well remember growing up under our flag and the Union Jack but there was never any doubt at least in my mind which flag was mine!


Vic Jefferies

[manfredvijars]

On any official advertising, The Red 'Ensign' was mostly shown beside the Union Jack. Some soldiers carried their own 'flags' into conflict, Red (mostly) and some Blue Ensigns as well as the Union Jack. Red ensigns continued to be used in Anzac Day marches into the 1960s.

The Red and Blue Ensigns were Ensigns not Flags

The Blue Ensign became the Australian National Flag in 1953.
There seems to be an impression that the Blue version has been our National Flag since Federation, this is not the case.


I much prefer this piece to the OP (sorry Mauzy) ...

The Old Flag
Robin Northover

Our flag bears the stars that blaze at night
In our southern sky of blue,
And a little old flag in the corner
That's part of our heritage, too.

It's for the English, the Scots and the Irish
Who were sent to the ends of the earth,
The rogues and the schemers,
The doers and dreamers
Who gave modern Australia birth.

And you, who are shouting to change it,
You don't seem to understand,
It's the flag of our law and our language,
Not the flag of a faraway land.

It doesn't mean we owe allegiance
To some forgotten imperial dream;
We've the stars to show where we're going,
And the old flag to show where we've been.
---