The Australian Defence Force has faced a reckoning in the past few months. First came the shocking Brereton report exposing alleged war crimes committed in Afghanistan.
Then, in recent weeks, other critical issues have surfaced requiring urgent attention, from the royal commission investigating veteran suicides to a vigorous debate over the very function of the ADF itself in today’s society.
As we prepare to withdraw our forces from the Afghan conflict without any consensus on the war’s outcomes, the ADF is potentially at a crossroads.
Not only are questions being raised about its culture, there appears to be a struggle underway about its identity and purpose, as well.
Anzac Day not a celebration but commemoration Martin O’Meara VC served bravely in Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
about 3 hours ago Gary Gray
Tipperary native Martin O’Meara: “During four days of very heavy fighting he repeatedly went out and brought in wounded officers and men from ‘No Man’s Land’ under intense artillery and machine gun fire.”
In July 2020, I visited the Australian Army Museum of Western Australia at Fremantle. A terrific facility, it holds machines, materials, medals and awards including the Victoria Cross ) awarded to Irish-born Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) sergeant Martin O’Meara, currently on loan to the National Museum of Ireland in Collins Barracks, Dublin.
âPinching padreâ from WA who always put his soldiers first
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âPinching padreâ from WA who always put his soldiers first
Walter Dexter was the most decorated Australian chaplain of World War I. His wartime journey is featured at the National Anzac Centre and in the documentary War Stories screening on Channel 9 this weekend. He did all he could for his âboysâ, in life and death, writes Jenny Tabakoff.
By Jenny Tabakoff
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Australiaâs World War I chaplains were extraordinary â you only have to do the maths. Sixty thousand members of the Australian Imperial Force were killed or died of wounds. Thatâs a lot of funerals for just 414 âpadresâ.
Does the Queen really not cry?
Grief affects different people differently. Some sulk, or become morose, or weep and bawl out loud. There are a few who show no emotion at all. Queen Elizabeth II stands in the last category.
Over the years, the Queen dedicated her life to the Crown and matured herself into a resolute persona. During troubled times and great adversity, she set a great example of leadership with her unwavering strength and stoicism. Known for her solid-color overcoats and matching hats, the Queen was the most admired person in 2014 but has been often dubbed âcoldâ for not showing her emotions in public, one of them being when she attended Princess Diana s funeral.
First draft of history: How the Herald has reported a changing Australia
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The Sydney Morning Herald started six years before Queen Victoria was crowned and her reign saw growing literacy among colonists who had developed a thirst for news from England, commerce, crime and conflict.
The mix has changed: Sydney, national and international news are staples, politics, sport and celebrity now dominate; and electronic and social media publishing platforms complement print.
The front page of the first Herald, published on April 18, 1831.
Credit:National Library of Australia