Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaeger
A bit surprised there tomcat.
Just about every account of Anzac's from british side has been of praise. Their commanders were held in high regard, the only friction I know of was that the commonwealth commanders could 'phone home' if they were not pleased with the orders that they received. The other bit is betwen Churchill and the Aussie PM regarding the Aussies wanting back some of their divisions for defence of the land of Oz. Churchill talked to Roosevelt who in turn agreed to aid the Australians. Churchill ,in his memoirs, pointed out that the Aussies were a key to the success in their repective areas.
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you are tight about the australian PM (who is PM John Curtin) and churchill except that curtin wanted all the australian divisions back to asia, at the time of December 1941- Feburary 1942 there was the 9th Infantry division in the middle east and two more en route when curtin requested they be returned home, a long stoy short curtin won and australia finally got 'sovereignty over its own troops at war'. A big step for australia against britian. for many britons, and in particular Winston Churchill, the belief that the 'dominions' would do exactly as they were told, was hard to shake. and it was cutin who requested help from the americans, which later churchil said it would make "A very bad impression in high american circles" (the americans took no offence).
And as for high praise that was only about the 9th infantry Divison, a properly formed and trained division, unlike the militia soldiers, mostly which were in australia. one account was about a private who never fired a shot at the kokoda trail and at the end of it turned to his sergeant and said " Now can you show me how to use this"
Churchill considered europe the more dominate theatre of war and sent only a few warships to australia one which was sunk en route. It wasnt' could they couldn't send help, theyu just thought asia not as important.