Sad that some individuals like to make a name for themselves...Australian soldiers were no saints but bludgers...and not up to the same standard as New Zealand soldiers...sorry but these claims are insulting and a right way to go to cause a divide between our two nations.
Hans, people are entitled to their opinions, so comments like this don't bother me, as there will "always" be people who have differing opinions; and that is a good thing. We live in a "so-called" democracy and part of this democracy is being allowed to express one's opinions; and be thankfully we can do that anyway. I will always defend peoples rights to their opinions, even if I do not agree with them. Besides, the people making these comments weren't there anyway and I can only feel sad for them coming to such conclusions in the first place.
Furthermore, getting upset about such statements just give these people the attention they seek. By reacting to these comments just continue to inflame the situation. Just ignore it and it goes away. The kiwi-oz rivalry is nothing new and I don't buy into it anyway.
Hans, people are entitled to their opinions, so comments like this don't bother me, as there will "always" be people who have differing opinions; and that is a good thing. We live in a "so-called" democracy and part of this democracy is being allowed to express one's opinions; and be thankfully we can do that anyway. I will always defend peoples rights to their opinions, even if I do not agree with them. Besides, the people making these comments weren't there anyway and I can only feel sad for them coming to such conclusions in the first place.
Furthermore, getting upset about such statements just give these people the attention they seek. By reacting to these comments just continue to inflame the situation. Just ignore it and it goes away. The kiwi-oz rivalry is nothing new and I don't buy into it anyway.
Cheers Pete
True Pete, people do have right to their opinion but with free speech comes some level of responsibility and rantings like this can't really go without comment..the dead cannot defend themselves so we, who remember them and believe in what they fought and sacrificed for have a duty to defend them. I guess what really got to me was:
"Freelance journalist Josie McNaught said she was "so sick of hearing that ridiculous cliche'' that Australia's national identity was forged at Gallipoli."
What really is it to New Zealand what our identity was forged on, it doesn't impact on their country.
Agreed this shouldn't be esculated above the shock jock journalism that it is.
True Pete, people do have right to their opinion but with free speech comes some level of responsibility and rantings like this can't really go without comment..the dead cannot defend themselves so we, who remember them and believe in what they fought and sacrificed for have a duty to defend them. I guess what really got to me was:
"Freelance journalist Josie McNaught said she was "so sick of hearing that ridiculous cliche'' that Australia's national identity was forged at Gallipoli."
What really is it to New Zealand what our identity was forged on, it doesn't impact on their country.
Agreed this shouldn't be esculated above the shock jock journalism that it is.
Good comment Hans and I do agree with you.
They are entitled to their opinion, even if they are wrong.
I think that our diggers record speaks for itself and besides, the fact that we know and remember them is all that is important. We hold them dear to our hearts, so who cares what others think? I don't, in this case, as I just think those comments come from the types of people who are bullies! Just makes me feel sad that someone can denigrate others like that, as we certainly don't denigrate their soldiers, at least I don't and never would.
As for our identity being forged at Gallipoli, I certainly hope not, as our identity is much deeper than this, I think. I certainly don't think my identity is based on stupid and pointless wars. Yes, our soldiers did their duty and paid a heavy price and we should never forget that sacrifice; they are heroes, even though they died in vain.
No, our identity wasn't forged at Gallipoli, but it was certainly and clearly demonstrated!
"Freelance journalist Josie McNaught said she was "so sick of hearing that ridiculous cliche'' that Australia's national identity was forged at Gallipoli."
What really is it to New Zealand what our identity was forged on, it doesn't impact on their country.
The New Zealand population is quite tiny, but not that small. Don't go judging all of us based upon the comments of some person of whom even we've never heard.
Both Australian and New Zealand troops went to WW1 under the Empire or British flag.
The ones who made it back decided from then on they would only fight under their own respective flags hence the ANZAC tag.
Both Aussie and NZ troops were held in low esteem by the British commanders as they had 'no sense of discipline'. This is shorthand for 'will not blindly follow idiotic orders issued by morons'.
Anyone in their armchair that now judges these fine boys is a fool.
Keith and Ross Smith had a new found ideal of national identity that was purely Australian. They were not alone. Australia was no longer a mere outpost of Britain. Federation may have joined us in a legal sense but it was the loss of so many fine young men that bound this nation together.
It is only after a great loss that reality forces you to see what you really possess and who you really are.
I could go on.
By the way the AIF troops fought under the Red Ensign in WW2 not the Australian flag. Check out the colour of the Changi Flag! The Australian flag (the Blue Ensign) as we now know it was only made official in about 1953 by Parliament.
Two things instantly bring a tear to my eye.
The poem "Lest we Forget"
The hymn "For those in peril on the sea."
They always have.
Our boys fought as a team, with courage and resolution.
In Vietnam the Americans always felt safer if there was an Aussie at their back. It wasn't only the L1A1 that did it either. Long Tan proved that.
I spent 12 years in the Navy. I felt privileged to do so.
If anyone derides our effort, I smile because they are ignorant. I shake my head because they are fools and I tell them they are lucky our boys died for them because if they were here now, they'd look at them and not bother.
My father was in the RAN during WW2 and served on the cruisers HMAS Canberra and Shropshire, the official Naval flag then was the British White Ensign, he told me that whenever they went into action that the Australia Blue Ensign was always broken out as the official battle flag.
My own time in the Navy was served under the current Australian White Ensign.
You are correct Bert, what I was replying to was that the Naval White Ensign at the time was the British one, the Union Jack in the upper corner on a white background with the red cross. The current Australian White Ensign is the Union Jack in the upper corner on a white background with the Southern Cross and Federation Star in blue.
Sorry for the confusion, hope I explained that a bit better.
When I joined the RAN in 1966, the British White Ensign was still in use, changed over to the current one in 1967 I believe. New Zealand also changed their White Ensign to the current one in 1968 after also using the British White Ensign.
John my first father in law served on HMS Vendetta in WW2. He never spoke about it apart from the fun they managed to have. Have I got the designation correct for the ship? It wasn't HMSS was it?
Regardless of whether there were (or were not) some bludgers or scundrels... in WW1 they had massively high casualty rates since the British sent in colonials to some of the hardest places. Regardless of how colourful some individuals might be - not many came back. All came back changed. Many (my great-grandfather included) received wounds at Gallipoli that they carried for life.
I served in a more recent conflict, and of all the coalition air forces we had to the highest mission achievement rate of any coalition country... and the oldest aircraft. So many people from other countries made the comments that we achieved results far beyond expectations with so little resources.
My opinion of Australian (and New Zealander) troops will always be the highest.
The New Zealand population is quite tiny, but not that small. Don't go judging all of us based upon the comments of some person of whom even we've never heard.
Fair comment. And I hope we aren't judged by the quality of some of our media.
I'm reading the book mentioned "Bullybeef and Balderdash" at the moment. It's quite interesting. The author is seeking to dispel some of the mythology that has arisen regarding the ANZACs in WW1. As he says, the AIF's achievements are substantial and don't require the mythology to be impressive.
Probably just try to boost sal... ah - numbers at the dawn service. How very patriotic of them. 
