Portal:Military of Australia/Quotes

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Quotes

"My God, I wish we had [the] 9th Australian Division with us this morning."

— Major-General Freddie de Guingand, Chief of Staff, Allied Land-force Headquarters Europe, D-Day, 1944.


"Fellow Australians

It is my melancholy duty to inform you officially that, in persistence by Germany in her invasion of Poland, Great Britain is at war, and that, as a result, Australia is also at war...

There was never any doubt as to where Great Britain stood... There can be no doubt that were Great Britain stands, there stands the people of the entire British world."

— Prime Minister Robert Menzies


"My men are being unmercifully shelled. They cannot hold out if an attack is launched. The firing line and my headquarters are being plastered with heavy guns and the town is being swept by shrapnel. I myself am O.K. but the front line is being buried."
— Lieutenant General Henry Gordon Bennett, 26 July 1916.


"Australian troops had, at Milne Bay, inflicted on the Japanese their first undoubted defeat on land. Some of us may forget that, of all the allies, it was the Australians who first broke the invincibility of the Japanese army."
— Field Marshal Sir William Slim.


"Shoot straight, you bastards! Don't make a mess of it!"
— Last words of Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant, said to his firing squad, 27 February 1902


Without any inhibitions of any kind I make it quite clear that Australia looks to America, free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom
— Prime Minister John Curtin, 27 December 1941


One cruiser sunk. Ammunition practically gone
— John Collins, July 17, 1940 after sinking the Italian cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni


In the event of war Government prepared place vessels of Australian Navy under control British Admiralty when desired.
—Australian Government telegram to the Admiralty on August 3, 1914


In view of the result of attained at the Washington Treaty which, my advisors believe, guarantee peace in the Pacific for some time to come, it is proposed to reduce the establishment of the navy and army, and postpone the expansion of the air force.
— Governor General Henry Forster during the opening of Parliament, 22 June 1922


"Should the worst happen Australia would rally to the Mother Country to help and defend her to our last man and our last shilling"

— Andrew Fisher, Opposition Leader of Australia at the outbreak of World War I


"the Australian divisions and the New Zealanders had become what they were to remain for the rest of the war - the spearhead of the British Army"

— John Terraine, commenting on the fighting capability of the Anzac troops.


"For dash and gallantry the bloodthirsty Scots, Australians and Canadians led the way, with the impetuous Irish close behind. The Australian to my mind were the most aggressive, and managed to keep their form in spite of their questionable discipline. Out of the line they were undoubtedly difficult to handle, but once in it they loved a fight. They were a curious mixture of toughness and sentimentality..."

— Lieutenant-General Adrian Carton de Wiart


"On Anzac eve we dug in among friends. At last I felt like an Anzac, and I imagine there were 600 others like me,"

— Captain Reg Saunders, said following the withdrawal during the Battle of Kapyong


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