If spectating no dress code, if "on parade" smart casual seems to be the go up here. The old soldiers are usually impeccably dressed apart from the Vietnam Vets that seem to have embraced the 1960's hippy/aging biker look. The younger ex servicemen [Gulf & Afghanistan] were dressed in very smart suits & ties very nice to see them so well turned out.
Huge turn out today in Gympie, nice to see a few Brit regiments represented mainly older soldiers & sailors.
Many years ago I remember being on the remembrance day parade with old soldiers from the Boer war. Half a lifetime later there's no WW1 left & with each passing year the WW2 contingent diminishes
The "Boy" was on parade in Rockingham this morning, I wish he'd have a shave he looks like a freakin' wookie in navy cammos.

If "on parade", why cammos and not ceremonial dress?

Something to do with ceremonial boots falling apart because they're made in China. The Army on parade in Brisbane all wore cammos today

All part of the Chinese invasion plan

Lol just been on the news, apparently the soles melt away from the uppers on the dress boots under the hot Queensland sun.

My secret's out.....

I was a grunt.... 25 RQR - an ARes battalion - support coy mortars. At the time ARes and ARA were being itergrated ie trained and played with the big boys.
2 of my half-brothers were regs, the elder 3 tours in Vietnam, 7 Signal Regiment, then to 1st Aviation (Sqn S/M ret) and the other was with 5th Aviation Regiment, the to 1st Aviation(ret).

DOH!! Polishing out the dimples on our old style parade boots was a nightmare, glad when we got rid of them

must admit ground pounding is not my idea of fun aircon, bed and beer is how to go to war

Thank god for leather laquer!!!!

Once they've melted away they could be recycled into heavy duty thongs.

At our local memorial, the guy who takes the salute is well dressed in No 1s as is a few others. RSL members and people who take it seriously are in standard vet wear: beret, blazer, tie and medals. No prizes for smartness. It takes a good 15mins to read through the names - the RSL list gets bigger each year - a few Major Generals.

The spectators are fairly well dressed, it's a mixed bag naturally. The CFA (in the crowd) look slovenly and the scouts are in their rig. I reckon the scouts should go at least to 'alert' during the last post.

I go to remember a few, and also to remember my brother. I was a bit morose actually until after midday but perked up when a neighbour turned up...

Sorry to hear you lost your bro during battle mate.

No - and I've had a few PMs. I didn't want to say much (as is my custom!) and ended up not saying much at all, and giving the wrong impression. So now I will make an effort to correct what I wrote.

I was morose because most of the time I find myself living a fairly easy life whilst there are people still out in theatre doing the hard work. I am reminded of my brother who was out there far more recently and is still rather suffering and traumatised at times as a result. I thought of him and everyone else during the service and I sat down after the service and watched a documentary on television which did more for remembrance than the service.

I think we all have to remember not just the literal sacrifice people made but the fact that we are all inordinately fortunate and that there are people out there on ops now.

That's what alot of people seem to forget quite abit, now, in the past and possibly in the future. Some take the freedoms we have for granted, forgetting the cost of getting and keeping them.

And I am still thinking about it. By midweek your average person will be fretting about the number of adverts in Season 2 of their favorite programme or the fact that they can't a particular flavour yoghurt...

It is only 70 odd years since the German and Red armies plundered and pillaged...the civilian human tragedies....