''I will mention two that come to mind, and wonder if you would have the guts to apply your above statement about them.''
well, before we get into Tobruk or the Kokoda. Why don't you go and have a search - go back say maybe 8 years - search by poster - pintohoo and search keyword 'Monash' and 'Unipon'
they are two great Australians I've written many times about - which clearly you have missed.
(If you need to know how to quickly put in the search dates without a zillion clicks, let me know, I'll show you how to do it in a couple of clicks)
you could also use a few other names - Headlie Taylor is one, there're some politicians as well, but, there'll be too much comes back to you there.
Now - Kokoda. I've also written a lot about Kokoda - perhaps search that as well - but, I've had a lot to do with Kokoda vets and I don't think you'll find that I've spoken a bad word about them. Not only the regulars, but the choccos.
The Rats of Tobruk, I've known a little over the years and my feelings are the same, but I don't know a great deal about it.
IMO, you should step back and look at Aussies -- you would find some interesting things.
Aussies are (let's leave aside the latest happenings with SAS - that is quite different, and has a lot of reasons why) -
before that Aussies have a very good record of soldering. They are good at what they have done. There is a lot of evidence of that.
But, if you begin to 'think' about it - think 'why that might be' -------- you indeed find that a lot of the attributes and characteristics that put convicts on ships are in fact the same attributes that make Aussies good soldiers.
Put your little hissy fit aside, calm down and think about it.
What are petty crims? - Resourceful
What are good soldiers? - Resourceful
What are petty crims? Pretty quick, if they have a long record.
What are good soldiers? Pretty quick
you can extend the list a fair way - but, if you start to look at our blokes in say Egypt etc. - they were all known as larrikins. They were wild ish, a bit rough around the edges -but, willing, very willing.
They also had honour - remind you of a saying in crims? There is honour among thieves - and, there is.
Etc etc.
If you can work with that idea, it becomes a reasonable argument.
But then, what works well in war; does not necessarily work well in nation building.
Now, if a country looked after it's people - kept them housed, fed AND educated them WELL -
you would probably turn a force like that into something very very very special. Now, you will find over the years that I've spoken at length about that as well -
the problem with Australia is that - we have NOT looked after our people. We have allowed them to go about without much assistance, without much support and let them do their own thing - severely limiting education, giving very basic assistance with housing and support.
Now - what do you expect when you put a bunch of people with self resourcing skills on a block of land and let them breedup, with little social support?
Do you think that they will begin to work for their nation? Or do you think they will more likely work for themselves - however they can?
Enter the 'I'm alright jack' culture. The 'she'll be right' culture. The 'what can I get out of it' questioning.
And there is the waste - the waste of a fantastic resource.
