Film footage discovery brings Anzac Cove to life

It's one of those things about Australia that appeals to those aspects of Australians that enjoy a good yarn, a story with clear characters (the "brave digger", "Johnny Turk", those "bloody Pommy officers"); that is joyfully and proudly stereotypical and recognised for many years as being a constructed celebration,

Yet, in another way it is not. At base, it was a military disaster. The ANZAC forces were dropped off in the Dardenelles in the wrong place, with the wrong information as to what they would face and yet, despite that, they gave their best to do what they saw was their duty to "King and Country".

Then they went on and gave more of their best in Flanders and France.

And yesterday came the news that three Australian soldiers in Iraq were injured. I just hope that our troops get the medical and psychological support they need and deserve at the beginning of their return home, and not after years of having to fight for it.

War is a stupid waste of resources that produces lots of damage to souls and landscape and no one really benefits.