Sydney massacre; honoured in Adelaide

15 innocent victims were massacred on Bondi Beach Sydney in a shocking attack last weekend. Excited families had been standing on the Bondi sand, celebrating the most festive holiday in the Jewish calendar, Channuka. When two men suddenly came out firing their rifles, innocent people ran away and hid; tackled the gunmen with their bare hands; or died. Two policemen, there to protect the families, were themselves shot. The whole nation was in shock - Jews and Christians, parents and grandparents

The victims were remembered this week in Adelaide as The 3rd Cricket Test Match between Australia & England was starting. “After the tragic events at Bondi Beach last Sunday evening, we come together as nations to pay our respects to all those who lost their lives and offer our condolences to their families, their friends and to the Jewish community. We also acknowledge those who bravely offered assistance to others at the scene,” the ground announcer said. The 60,000 cricket fans stood silently in the grand-stands, the cricketers all wore black armbands, and the flags were held silently in respect. A minute’s silence at Adelaide Oval was to honour the murder victims and to express condolences to their families, friends and the Jewish community.

60,000 cricket fans at the Adelaide Test Match

plus the two teans and flags

standing and remembering the mass murders on Bondi Beach

John Williamson was singing at the cricket in the centre of the huge green pitch, leading a stirring tribute at Adelaide Oval as the cricket world paused to remember the victims of the Bondi Beach terrorist attack. Cricket fans in the stands came together in silence to remember the murder victims and then to watch the cricket.

It was a powerful moment before the match started in Adelaide as John Williamson sang the Australian classic True Blue. In one of the finest cricket ovals in the world there was not a dry eye in the house for that moment of silence, followed by a stirring rendition of the music. True Blue was sadly perfect on this occasion; a beautiful and poignant rendition of a classic Aussie song and a single guitar.

Lyrics
Hey True Blue, don't say you've gone
Say you've knocked off for a smoko
And you'll be back later on
Hey True Blue, Hey True Blue

Give it to me straight, face to face
Are you really disappearing
Just another dying race
Hey True Blue

True Blue, is it me and you
Is it Mum and Dad, is it a cockatoo
Is it standin' by your mate when he's in a fight
Or just Vegemiite
True Blue, I'm a-asking you

Hey True Blue, can you bear the load
Will you tie it up with wire
Just to keep the show on the road
Hey True Blue
Hey True Blue, now be Fair Dinkum

Is your heart still there
If they sell us out like sponge cake
Do you really care
Hey True Blue

Listen to the heartfelt music on cricket.com 

John Williamson singing True Blue

and playing the one guitar.

True Blue was written and performed by folk singer-songwriter John Williamson, and released in 1982. Williamson’s aim had been to capture authentic Australian spirit and slang, and to become an unofficial national anthem celebrating mateship and the Aussie character. The lyrics drew heavily on Australian slang, with the title meaning authentically Australian, but the slang meant of course that people from other countries may not have understood the song’s details.

John Williamson said he celebrated the genuine, loyal and cultural references, to define a core national identity, but he emphasised it was about caring, inclusive people, not racism, despite attempts by some groups to hijack the song. The phrase itself apparently came from British slang meaning steadfast loyalty. But Williamson's song applied it to an Australian context, asking questions about what makes an Aussie in a changing multi-cultural nation, focusing on fairness, honesty and caring for mates and the land. No song could have been appropriate for a nation in mourning.

Sydney mourners after the wounded were taken to hospital and the dead were buried

Thank you John Williamson, thank you cricket players and fans, thank you all Australians across the nation.  We will never recover, but your comfort has been vital.