By NARELLE COULTER
TWO mates whose friendship was forged in battle have banded together to make sure a new generation understands how Australia’s identity has been shaped by war.
Geoff Lowe and Gary Phillips met as young soldiers in Vietnam during tours of duty in 1966-67.
Both are from military families – they both had grandfathers who were Anzacs and Mr Lowe’s father served in World War II.
Last year as the centenary of the start of World War I approached the friends decided to undertake an extraordinary project: they would stage a live event before as many school children as possible to help them tell the story of familial military sacrifice that runs through mnay Australian families.
The Victorian event was staged at St John’s Regional College, Dandenong, last week.
Hundreds of students from Greater Dandenong schools attended the Sons of Anzacs event listening to mini-lectures on military history, music from different war eras and the personal stories of those who have served in Vietnam and, more recently, Afghanistan.
In conjunction with the live event, the friends also ran an essay competition, inviting school students to write about their family’s experience of war.
Both the junior and senior sections of the Victorian competition were won by Cranbourne Secondary College students.
“We hope the kids who went to the presentations now have a better insight and understanding of the links between various generations of Australians and also understand what it was like to be in combat. It’s not very pleasant,” said Mr Lowe.
“We also hope they have a better understanding of what our military has done to make us who we are as Australians today.
“The fact we are a multi-cultural society and we’re prepared to fight for what is right and proper.
“When Anzac Day comes around we hope they will feel a little bit of ownership of it.”
The presentation also toured to Coloundra in Queensland and Rooty Hill in Sydney, reaching more than 9000 children.
