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In this video, we talk about the de Havilland Hornet, a late-World War 2 twin-engine fighter from Great Britain that very well may have been the best fighter constructed during the war. We first go on a brief detour to Britain’s battles in the Pacific War and talk about the Burma Campaign. We then go back to the Hornet and its predecessor, the de Havilland Mosquito. We compare and contrast the two designs – their performances, designs, construction processes, etc. – before looking at what the Hornet would be used for in Britain’s battles against Imperial Japan. We then talk about how its use in the war never came to fruition and what the plane ended up doing in the decade after the war, largely seeing use in training, air races, and record attempts. We also look at a carrier-based variant known as the Sea Hornet. We compare the Hornet to other famous and well-known fighters from the era, like the P-51D Mustang, P-80 Shooting Star, Me 262, and Do 335, and how I believe the Hornet stacks up. We end with the testimony of pilot Eric Brown and his feelings on the design.

Picture: The Founding of Australia. By Capt. Arthur Phillip R.N. Sydney Cove, Jan. 26th 1788, Algernon Talmadge R.A, 1937. State Library of NSW

Published: January 26, 2017 6.54am AEDT

ED: Taken from the CONVERSATION Newsletter.

Alongside the celebration, Australia Day also has a long history of commemoration and contestation, and this year is no different. In Western Australia, Fremantle council’s proposal to hold an alternative and culturally inclusive citizenship ceremony on January 28 was condemned by the federal government. The council was eventually forced to reinstate it to January 26.

Meat and Livestock Australia’s promotion of eating lamb on Australia Day continues to be controversial. Indigenous groups have been scathing about a TV advertisement that shows European invaders providing chops for a BBQ on the beach.

And following the recent removal of an Australia Day sign showing two smiling young girls in hijabs, a successful crowdfunding campaign will support the erection of this image on billboards across the nation.

Every year, the Australia Day holiday raises questions about our national identity and history. Colonisation, multiculturalism, social and cultural diversity and inclusion are at the heart of such debates. They ask us questions about what it means to be Australian – and “unAustralian”.

Like all national days, the significance attached to Australia Day has changed over time and the day has its own history. In May 1787, the British Admiralty sent the First Fleet carrying convicts and marines, under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip, to found a penal colony at Botany Bay.

Amid a gale, on January 26, 1788, Phillip was rowed ashore at Sydney Cove, raised the Union Jack and proclaimed British sovereignty over the eastern half of the continent. The formal establishment of the Colony of New South Wales, and Phillip’s role as governor, followed on February 7.

In early colonial Sydney, almanacs began referring to “First Landing Day” or “Foundation Day”. Successful immigrants – particularly ex-convicts – held anniversary dinners on January 26. In 1818, Governor Lachlan Macquarie formally marked 30 years as a colony with a 30-gun salute (a practice followed by his successors) at Dawes Point. Foundation Day continued to be commemorated, and an annual regatta in Sydney Harbour soon became its main attraction.

Other colonies commemorated their own imperial foundations. In Van Dieman’s Land – later renamed Tasmania – Regatta Day in early December jointly acknowledged the landing of Abel Tasman in 1642 and its separation from New South Wales in 1825. In Western Australia, Foundation Day on June 1 celebrated the arrival of white settlers in 1829. South Australia’s Proclamation Day was held on December 28.

In 1888, a week-long program in Sydney marked the centenary of British occupation. Anniversary Day — as it was then known — was a holiday in all capital cities except Adelaide. In Sydney, thousands attended the unveiling of a statue of Queen Victoria and the opening of Centennial Park. Representatives from all Australian colonies, and New Zealand, visited their “sister colony” to join the celebrations.

With 60% of the non-Indigenous population in Australia now “native-born”, the idea of a national day was gaining greater momentum. But views on what was being remembered on January 26 remained mixed.

Many felt that NSW’s convict origins were best forgotten. And there was little for Indigenous Australians to celebrate. The NSW governor, Henry Parkes, recognised that the day was a reminder to the Aborigines of how the British had “robbed” them.

The inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901 strengthened the idea of a foundational holiday, and the Australian Natives Association took up the cause. In 1905, Empire Day was introduced on May 24, the late Queen Victoria’s birthday, to signal the continuing strength of imperial ties in the newly federated nation.

On July 30, 1915, an Australia Day was held to raise funds for the first world war effort. But Australia’s landing at Gallipoli earlier that year was to launch the commemoration of another national day: Anzac Day on April 25.

This date was first commemorated in London in 1916. By 1927 the day was a national holiday in all Australian states. During the 1920s, the Australian Natives Association continued to lobby for a national Foundation or Anniversary Day.

In 1935, all states adopted a common date and name for Australia Day, January 26. By the 1940s a national public holiday was in place.

The sesquicentenary of British colonisation was widely celebrated throughout Australia in 1938, particularly in Sydney. The re-enactment of Phillip’s landing and hoisting of the British flag at Sydney Cove was followed by an extensive pageant with motorised floats that demonstrated a march to nationhood. There was no representation of convicts, although the initial float depicted precolonial Aboriginal society. The white organisers had brought Aboriginal people from outside Sydney to perform.

In Sydney, over 100 Aborigines gathered at the Australia Hall for an Aborigines Conference to mark the “Day of Mourning and Protest”.

Jack Patten, of the Aborigines Progressive Association in NSW, chaired the meeting; other leaders present included William Cooper of the Australian Aborigines League in Victoria. Speeches protested against “the callous treatment of our people by the whitemen during the past 150 years” and asked for new laws to grant citizenship and equality to Aboriginal people.

In the second half of the 20th century, the federal government began to take an increasingly prominent role in organising Australia Day. It established the National Australia Day Committee — which became a federally funded council in 1984.

The council aimed to promote national unity and was boosted by the preparations for the Bicentenary in 1988. Australia Day celebrations in Sydney included the arrival of tall ships from around the world, and a re-enactment of the landing of the First Fleet in Sydney. A huge protest march of over 40,000 Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Sydney disputed the “celebration of the nation” as a day of white invasion. This drew national and international attention to Indigenous rights in Australia.

Public participation in Australia Day events — including concerts, fireworks and other community gatherings — has increased since the 1990s. Most Australians welcome the public holiday, which has come to mark the end of summer and the return to school.

But the day has continued to be one of Indigenous protest, with Invasion Day and Survival Day rallies held across the nation.

Elsewhere in the world, foundation days commemorating European colonisation are similarly contested. In the US, for instance, the national institution of Thanksgiving marks the autumn feast of the Pilgrims, but Native Americans have long considered it a “national day of mourning” and a celebration of cultural genocide.

Any decision to change Australia Day to an alternative date or disband it altogether would need to be made by the combined federal and state governments.

That seems unlikely to happen. Suggestions from time to time that Australia Day be moved to another date have met with little enthusiasm.

It should be noted, though, that in the frenzy surrounding the centenary of the first world war, Anzac Day has increasingly come to be seen as Australia’s more significant national day.

I salute and pay respect to Lieutenant James Cook FRS, commander of HMB Endeavour, who claimed Australia for the British Crown in 1770 and Admiral Arthur Phillip, who in 1788 as Governor of New South Wales, established Australia’s first civilisation, which has since developed to become the most tolerant and generous civilisation on the face of the Globe. God Bless Australia and protect it and its unique culture from politicians and those who would attempt to destroy it. Proud to be born an Australian and prepared to defend.

Wishing you a wonderful Australia Day celebration and as we continue with efforts to maintain January 26th as the National Day. Celebrating and preserving cultural heritage is an essential aspect of national identity. May Australia continue to prosper and thrive. With strong unity into the future.

In the ever-evolving landscape of global geopolitics, Australia finds itself at a critical juncture, compelled to reevaluate its defence strategies in response to the increasing challenges posed by great power competition and multipolarity. The recent Defence Strategic Review by the Albanese government signals a paradigm shift for the Australian Defence Force, recognizing the imperative to transform from a “balanced force” to a “focused force” in order to effectively navigate the complexities of the Indo-Pacific region.

A Familiar Echo

The lack of preparedness and a perhaps underestimated acceptance of the gravity of the geostrategic environment echo sentiments heard in other parts of the world. As nations grapple with the changing dynamics of global power, Australia stands at the forefront of a region rapidly becoming the most hotly contested in the world—the Indo-Pacific.

Shifting Priorities

The Defence Strategic Review, released in late-April 2023, underscores the urgency of addressing the deteriorating geopolitical, tactical, and strategic situation in the Indo-Pacific. The call for a flexible and future-proofed force capable of responding reliably to the evolving needs of policymakers reflects the necessity to adapt to an era marked by increased great power competition.

The Wolves at the Door

Despite the evident signs of geopolitical challenges closing in, there appears to be a delay in the collective response. The analogy of wolves at the door, barking dogs, and visible silhouettes on house walls paints a vivid picture of the urgency that often goes unnoticed or unheeded. The question arises: why the delay in acknowledging and addressing the shifting global dynamics?

A Wake-Up Call for Australia

Australians, it seems, are either reluctant or oblivious to the reality that the world is rapidly becoming “multipolar.” The Indo-Pacific, in particular, is emerging as the epicentre of intense competition among major powers. It is imperative for Australia to recognize the need for a strategic realignment that reflects the evolving global order.

Enhancing Australia’s Capacity

As the challenges of the global geopolitical order unfold, there is a pressing need for Australia to enhance its capacity to act as an independent power. This involves incorporating great power-style strategic economic, diplomatic, and military capabilities. Such enhancements not only symbolize Australia’s sovereignty but also signify its commitment to bolstering the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.

Seizing Opportunities

Embracing this strategic approach presents Australians with exciting opportunities. By collectively building economic resilience and competitiveness, Australia can position itself as a formidable player in the new world power paradigm. The nation must recognize and capitalize on these opportunities to ensure it does not merely fade into the pages of history.

Economic Resilience as Deterrence

The core focus of the government should revolve around expanding and enhancing opportunities for Australians while concurrently building critical economic resilience. Economic strength serves as a powerful deterrent to coercion, ensuring that the nation can effectively deter aggression towards its interests. This underscores the interconnectedness of economic resilience and national security.

Conclusion

Australia stands at a pivotal moment in history, facing the challenges of an increasingly multipolar world. The Defence Strategic Review is a step towards acknowledging the urgency of strategic reshaping in response to evolving global dynamics. To secure its future, Australia must actively embrace opportunities, fortify economic resilience, and recognize the vital role it plays in shaping the geopolitical landscape of the Indo-Pacific. Only through proactive adaptation can Australia safeguard its interests and contribute to the stability and prosperity of the region.

ED: Friday is the day that brings a smile to my face. I enjoy spreading laughter through a good joke, though the challenge lies in choosing one that’s suitable for sharing. Today, I’ve decided to share two videos out of the eight that were sent to me. I played them for my wife, Julie, and her laughter surpassed even mine. I hope you enjoy these two.

Happy Australia Day!

CLICK LINKS

Menopause Is Worse Than PMS – Jeff Allen 

Silly Arguments Between Couples – Jeff Allen

Where is the Australian Flag?

The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it is the largest seaborne invasion in history. The operation began the liberation of France, and the rest of Western Europe, and laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front.

CLICK LINK

NormandyLanding1

ED: The following article was written By Mike O’Connor (one journalist who usually tells it like it is – he writes for Brisbane’s Courier Mail plus News Corp)

Au revoir TO 2023…………THE YEAR OF WOKE IDIOCY (by Mike O’Connor)

One doesn’t like to speak ill of the dead but now that the Year of Our Lord 2023 has been consigned to history’s cemetery, I can safely say that on New Year’s Eve I was glad to celebrate its passing.

It was without doubt one of the more divisive years in recent history thanks to a referendum that we never had to have.

Twelve months ago we were warned a No vote would send a “bad message” to the world. That was the first of the many insults to our intelligence that we had to endure. It was left to Ray Martin to kick the final own goal for the Yes case by suggesting that the reason people couldn’t understand it was because they were either stupid or dickheads.

It was the year when our faith in our once treasured Flying Kangaroo crashed and burnt as CEO Alan Joyce slipped out the back door lugging a massive remuneration package.

Next month it is in federal court facing hundreds of millions of dollars in fines for allegedly indulging in false, misleading or deceptive conduct in selling tickets for “ghost” flights. How was it ever allowed to come to this?

The ABC had a shocker, sacking 40 people from its news division including its effective and non-left leaning Canberra political editor Andrew Probyn and then proudly announcing that it was hiring “cultural guidance advisers.”

What does a cultural guidance adviser do? According to managing director David Anderson they “connect content makers with appropriate resources to make culturally informed decisions.” You couldn’t make it up if you tried.

Meanwhile ABC staff continue to push political agendas with headlines such as ”ABC Sacks Summer Host Over anti-Israel Activism” exposing a serious but all too familiar failure of management to manage.

There were brighter moments such as when Victorians heard from the government that by banning them from cooking with gas, they’d be saving $1700 a year.

The point was then made that as the average gas bill was less than $1700, it was difficult to see how people could save more than they were spending.

Across the Tasman, cracks appeared in the woke wall as Kiwis realised that Saint Jacinda Ardern’s much vaunted legacy, she who performed the miracle of having a child AND a job, was a mirage.

Its new conservative government has told teachers to focus on literacy and numeracy, restore balance to the history curriculum and ban transgender indoctrination from the classroom.

The government will introduce mandatory sentences and boot camps for hardened young offenders, public signage must be primarily in English rather than Maori and plans for a Maori court system, health system, upper house or parliament, the protection of Maori seats in parliament and compulsory Maori history in schools have been ditched.

Albo, take note!

Back home, Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen took off to trumpet Australia’s net zero, fossil fuel free future at the COP28 gabfest in the UAE. We can only hope he was out of the room when COP president Sultan Al Jaber said a phase out of fossil fuels would not allow sustainable development “unless you want to take the world back to caves.”

He also said Adnoc, the national oil company, was increasing production to a billion barrels a day and by 2050 would still be pumping 850 million barrels a day. Over to you, Chris.

Back in Oz, visiting American author Sarah Churchwell said Australians needed to “have a conversation with ourselves about our colorism and the internalised white supremacy that Hollywood has indoctrinated us with.” I knew there was something I’d forgotten to do.

There was one event in 2023 that now casts its dark shadow into 2024 and it’s the ongoing and increasing anti-Semitism now on display in our cities. I never thought I’d see such mindless hatred on display in our streets, people chanting “from the river to the sea” and urging the violent destruction of the Jewish state and all who live within it.

A new year of itself prospers hope and as we wish each other health and happiness in 2024 it is worth remembering that to continue to enjoy a life that is the envy of the world, it falls to us all to do what we can to make sure it stays that way, not only for us but for our children and generations to follow.

In a provocative act on the eve of Australia Day, protesters have once again targeted the century-old statue of Captain Cook in St Kilda, Melbourne. The vandals not only severed the statue at the ankles but also left a bold declaration, spray-painting the words, “The colony will fall.” This incident marks the latest in a series of attacks on the historic landmark, raising concerns about the recurring disrespect shown towards the monument.

The attack on Captain Cook’s statue is not an isolated event; rather, it adds to a string of incidents over the past six years. The monument has been a consistent target for vandals who have previously doused it in paint and covered it in graffiti. The recurrence of such acts, particularly around Australia Day, has heightened the need for authorities to address the issue and ensure the preservation of historical monuments.

Law enforcement officials are actively investigating the recent act of vandalism. According to a police spokesperson, the Captain Cook Memorial in Jacka Boulevard was reported as vandalized by members of the public. The statue, a symbol of historical significance, was methodically sawn off at the ankles. Authorities are examining evidence and are particularly interested in individuals seen loitering in the vicinity around the time of the incident.

Community leaders and heritage advocates have strongly condemned the repeated acts of vandalism against the Captain Cook statue. Many have emphasized the need for those responsible to be held accountable for their actions. The sentiment is clear – this is not merely a case of mischief but a deliberate and disrespectful pattern of behaviour that threatens the preservation of cultural and historical symbols.

The targeting of historical monuments poses a threat not only to the tangible symbols of Australia’s past but also to the collective identity of its people. The ongoing attacks on the Captain Cook statue highlight the importance of implementing measures to protect and preserve the nation’s heritage. Stakeholders, including local authorities and heritage organizations, must collaborate to develop strategies that deter such acts of vandalism and ensure the safeguarding of historical landmarks.

The recent vandalising of the Captain Cook statue in St Kilda, Melbourne, is a stark reminder of the challenges faced in preserving Australia’s historical monuments. As authorities continue their investigation, it is essential for the community to reflect on the importance of safeguarding cultural heritage and finding common ground through open dialogue. The ultimate goal should be to create a society that respects its history while embracing diversity and differing perspectives.

Good morning Ray,

I continue to closely follow your informative and very popular FRONTLINE website – but I haven’t offered an article since mid-November last year (ie – the WWII submarine cutting “Japanese” underwater communications cables off Vung Tau in mid-1945).

I’ve attached a possible article for FRONTLINE – albeit somewhat lengthy, that relates NVA/VC views (mostly disparaging) of Australian and US troops; and also cites the NVA/VC confusion about ”Aborigines” among the Australian forces.

Best wishes, Ernie Chamberlain

CLICK LINK to read Ernie’s article.

Viet Cong Cite Australians as Tho Dan