I've just been reading about the El Alamein battle and discovered that even English authors thought Australians were the best soldiers, although Erwin Rommel, commander of the Afrika Korps thought the New Zealanders were the best. Australians weren't because although we were good fighters we were ill disciplined and there was a general consensus that we treated prisoners badly.
In spite of that, I think it is time that we wound up the Gallipoli 'celebrations', once we've got the 100th out of the way and moved our attention on Anzac Day to El Alamein, because the Australian achievement in that battle was truly great. Montgomery's grand advance had stalled. His armour couldn't push through the minefields guarded by the famous German anti tank guns, the feared 88s. And his generals were getting nervous because the casualties were mounting. So Montgomery devised a plan for the Australians, who were positioned on the North flank, closest to the sea, to push up the...