Thread: D day 6 June 1944 - Why not just talk

Originally Posted by RANDLOVER

The Kokoda “Track” or “Trail”? | The Australian War Memorial

I'm afraid the track vs trail is still up for debate. I always thought a trail was more for walking, as in hiking trail and track applied more to vehicles, as in cart track, railroad track.

Now onto another contentious subject, we are a minnow in a very big pond, see "The Brisbane Line" Brisbane Line - Wikipedia,

It seems despite the acrimony levelled at the British, even Australian military minds thought that not all of the country could be defended. "(Lieutenant-General Iven Mackay, had advocated that in the event of an invasion, the majority of available Australian forces be concentrated in the area between Brisbane and Melbourne, where most of the nation's industrial capability was located.)" and "In his memoir, Reminiscences, MacArthur claims that the Australian military had proposed designating a line roughly following the Darling River as the focus of defence during the expected Japanese invasion of Australia"

I think the northernmost pill-box for defence of the Brisbane line is located on Bribie Island.

Very interesting link, thanks.
It was an old Digger from the 39th that was most insistent about the fact that it was a track, not a trail.
As he was one of the poor bloody sods (his words) that fought their way over it, i have always followed his lead, and, with all due respect to the "trail" camp, I'll continue to use the word "track" in memory of him and all the other heroes.

Lest We Forget

Originally Posted by Pickles2

Obviously spot on,....which is the reason for Britain entering WW11 in the first place, which was,..... to "honor "a treaty???.....maybe you didnt know that?.....Yeah right.
The reason why the "Allies" won WW11 was not all to do with Britain, ..., it was because of the U.S., don't care whether you agree with them, like them, I don't really care, because any realist would admit that we wouldn't have won without them, even though my mum said ( She endured the blitz, and lost family), they didn't come in until they were attacked. Joe Kennedy actually advised the U.S. not to support Britain, as they were going to lose.
Pickles.

They needed the USA but if Britain had been over run the USA wouldn’t have been able to get into Europe.

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

can you enlarge on this Mick? you believe or you know?

The Australian 9th Division, after withdrawal from Al Alamein and Tobruk, were regrouped in Queensland and were sent to PNG, where they landed at Lae. My late uncle was part of it.

My late father (8th army) said he felt sorry for the Russians who lost millions in ww2 and who he believed were key to overthrowing the nazis.

Not that he disrespected the USA or other efforts of the allied forces that he fought alongside but that the Russian effort should not be discounted.

I note Putin was not invited to the D Day celebrations..a little bit of rewriting history perhaps?

Polotics sadly trumps the truth when it suits. ...

I'm not convinced the overthrow could have been done by just one nation but was a combination of effort from many nations.



Today, 1 or 2 A- BOMBs would have done the trick but with serious ramifications for all.


Russia did seem to get caught up a 'tad' on the eastern front & that was their downfall & maybe that is why Putin was not invited.

Originally Posted by INter674

My late father (8th army) said he felt sorry for the Russians who lost millions in ww2 and who he believed were key to overthrowing the nazis.

Not that he disrespected the USA or other efforts of the allied forces that he fought alongside but that the Russian effort should not be discounted.

I note Putin was not invited to the D Day celebrations..a little bit of rewriting history perhaps?

Polotics sadly trumps the truth when it suits. ...

I believe Putin Should DEFiNITELY have been invited.
Pickles.

I think Putin should of been invited to the D day rememberence as at that time they were allies but as a world community we still have a them and us thinking and would proberly not look good politicly with someone who is now seen as the bad guy.

Originally Posted by Pickles2

I object to that, being a "Pom", and also a proud Aussie, and a person whose family lost family members & relos in WW11, we did not "leave anyone in a mess".
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, & I'm definitely not saying everything was ideal, or went to plan, or could not have been done better or differently, but I believe everyone did what they thought was right. I would not have been liked to have been responsible for decisions in those days, decisions that could cost thousands of lives, be those decisions right, or wrong.
The same reaction comes from me when it comes to talk about the U.S. I get well & truly sick of all the knockers (not saying you're one of them!) when the truth is that you & I would not be talking were it not for the tens of thousands of U.S. Troops who fought & died in the Pacific theatre.
Pickles.

Self interest is a big motivator for us all. That said "Fortress Singapore" was questioned openly before all out troops, Airrforce and Naval Forces were sent to Africa and all over the Mediterranean. "the concept of the 'Main Fleet to Singapore' had, perhaps through constant repetition, assumed something of the inviolability of Holy Writ" Yet is was and is arrogance which poms are noted for often.

"Singapore sat at the crossroads of the British Empire. Lodged between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, equidistant between the 'crown jewel' of India to the west, Australia and New Zealand to the south-east, and Hong Kong to the north, it was 'undoubtedly the naval key to the Far East'. In the early 1920s, Britain pledged to build a massive naval base at Singapore and to send a strong fleet to the Far East if its interests in the region, including Australia, were threatened. By the outbreak of war in 1939, Singapore had become, in the minds of many Australians, a potent symbol of imperial strength and security. Such was its perceived importance that when Australia sent forces to bolster Singapore’s defences, many Australians felt that their men and women were defending the nation itself."

History is pretty clear on the outcome. Sacrifices were made by many. The Poms did (not or could not) send the promised support to hold Singapore and this is a direct reason Australia was bombed by land based aircraft for the only time in our history. The incredibly brave almost gorilla style Australian forces Fighting in PNG until the fully trained boys came home.

Reality is some self interest occurred at the end to ensure we were not invaded which is highly likely If we had not changed our principle aliance to include the Americans and prioritizing our own self defense over the fight in Europe.

We all like poms so no offense is meant nor anger at what happened. Truth is fine with me. Air brushing stuff is not great in my view.

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