August 31, 2004

Alec Campbell - WW I veteran strongly opposed to war

This snippet from ABC Radio's The World Today program of 3 April 2003:
PETA DONALD: The author of Alec Campbell's biography, Jonathan King also has no doubt about what the last ANZAC would have thought of Australia's involvement now in Iraq.

JOHATHAN KING: Alec Campbell would have opposed Australian troops being sent to Iraq because he realised having fought at Gallipoli, how wrong it was to send Australian troops to the other end of the world.

They lost the campaign at Gallipoli, despite the fact that it's so celebrated in Australian history, and he became a pacifist. And he said we should learn from the folly of Gallipoli never to send troops abroad again to fight in countries that are not threatening Australia.

So Alec Campbell, who we're basically farewelling today at this book launch, believed strongly against sending troops abroad. Defend our own shores, defend our own shores, but don't send them abroad.
Lest we forget...