British plan ANZAC whitewash

5th Battalion Officers: Back row: LT Harold Griffiths MC, John Dwyer. Front row: CAPTs Thomas Maltby, Eric Permezel MC and LT George Makin. This picture is from a collection of First World War fragile photographic glass plates donated to the Australian War Memorial, as part of the Louis and Antoinette Thuillier Collection, uncovered in 2011 after sitting undisturbed for nearly a century in the attic of a farmhouse in the French town of Vignacourt. Picture: Supplied Source: News Limited

A PC push by British politicians is threatening to downplay the role of Aussie diggers in WW1 in favour of developing nations.
 
The ANZAC whitewash comes despite the 62,000 Australians who died in the Great War fighting for the British Empire and another 156,000 wounded, with no 100-year anniversary events planned by Britain recognising the sacrifice.

News Corp Australia has learned in a blatant politicising of the anniversary, Whitehall officials in London have been briefed to push the efforts by the so-called "New Commonwealth" nations in a bid to win political and economic favour in multicultural Britain.

The way our Diggers were .... a photograph from the collection of First World War fragile photographic glass donated to the Australian War Memorial, which feature Australian soldiers in informal settings. Picture: Supplied Source: News Limited

 

The move comes amid a heated social and political row in Britain over immigration numbers with the issue likely to determine the outcome of federal elections in Britain next year.

British government sources have confirmed internal briefings on WWI commemorations have not mentioned Australia or New Zealand once, instead staff from departments and cabinet offices have been briefed to concentrate on other British Empire contributions by soldiers from countries such as Nigeria and other dominions in West Africa, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The "new Commonwealth" is a British term to describe predominantly non-white and developing decolonised countries and is often used in debates on immigration.

More Diggers ... in a collection of First World War fragile photographic glass plates donated to the Australian War Memorial. Picture: Supplied Source: News Limited

 

The desire to push the war efforts by soldiers from these countries is now being seen as more fruitful to promote "community cohesion" and link younger generations of ethnic Britons today to the war fought by their forefathers. It's also seen as high-level support for old colonies like India which is experiencing a booming economy.

"It's basically to remind Britons the First World War wasn't just soldiers from here fighting in France and Belgium but involved people from Lagos, Kingston and the Punjab," a government insider said.

Sid Carroll, a WWI digger, seated in sidecar in a photo discovered in Vignacourt in attic of French farmhouse. Carroll was identified with the help of family members still living and working in Australia. Source: Supplied

 

"There has been no mention of old Commonwealth Allies like Australia or New Zealand but more interest in celebrating the role from New Commonwealth countries. I think it's fair to say Commonwealth ties are being frayed a little on this one."

The British Department For Culture, Media and Sport, tasked with WWI anniversary events, confirmed there were no plans to have any specific events recognising Australia's contribution to the British Empire's cause.

Australian ANZAC army soldier troops standing in a trench at Gallipoli during WWI. Source: News Limited

"I don't think there is anything specific at this stage for individual countries," a spokeswoman said. "It is obviously a four-year program so there may well be specific things as we go along but nothing specific at this stage."

British author and commentator Murray Rowlands said it was a disgrace Australian and New Zealanders were being ignored.

"There is nothing in (British Prime Minister) David Cameron's program of commemoration that mentions these countries," he said.

"The British pretty much lost the war in July 1918, they were in retreat and it was

John Simpson, a WWI hero who carried wounded soldiers to safety with his donkey. Source: News Limited

 

the Australians and New Zealanders who got put into the gap … they were the ones that held up the Germans in places like Hamel (Somme, northern France), with the Americans too but basically the well-trained Australians, pretty battle hardened by then, who stopped the Germans. If they had got to Amiens the game would have been gone because that was where the British communication system were. That needs recognition."

Australia's Department of Veterans Affairs and the Australian High Commission in London are planning a series of Australian-specific events in the UK this year and next year, the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli.

news.com.au  9 Jan 2014

The government sends out Australians (and others) as cannon fodder to die, so the British can bask in the glory of victory of war, then lie about it.

Another lie perpetuated by the corrupt Anglo-Masonic leaders of England.