WWI British, and Australian officers did make awful mistakes! However, for ‘Sheik of Hate’ supporter, former Australian PM Paul Keating and ‘Gallipoli’ author Peter Fitzsimons to say WWI was not Australia’s war is sleight of hand anti-British sophistry.

The Turks fought valiantly. However, Turkey was Germany’s most powerful WWI ally and would have helped secure ‘German Possessions’ (taken over by we WWI victorious Aussies) right in Australia’s front-yard with current-day PNG place names of: New Hanover; Mt Wilhelm; Finschaffen; Bismark Ranges, etc., etc.

Fitzsimons reckons the WWII Japanese (if they’d won) would not have “forgiven” we Aussies; the way the WWI Turks have. Hang on! Had Germany and the WWI Turks won, would we not have become a ‘German/Turkish possession’? (Fitzsimons best consult Greek-Australians?) Had Germany and Turkey won WWI, capturing British and/or French naval power — and, with Germany and Turkey adopting the Roman Empire’s military brilliance of absorbing many vanquished enemies into their own, Australia’s principal cities would, have been shelled, bombed, strafed, and torpedoed to oblivion by German and Turkish naval power (just, as a victorious Japan would, have done in WWII)!

Bugger! Forgot that those bloody awful (as considered, by Fitzsimons) Yanks, saved the day; as they would again, some 25 years later!

HOWARD HUTCHINS Chirnside Pk Victoria Australia