In 1900 the Naval defence of Australia was in the hands of the British Admiralty. The need for an Australian Navy, run by Australia for Australian purposes was keenly felt in the Antipodes. By 1914, the fledgling Royal Australian Navy was the first Australian unit to engage with German troops and by the end of 1914, they had claimed an important victory which would keep the Indian Ocean more or less free from threat from Germany.

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With the Gallipoli campaign won, the Turkish army turned its attention to the prize of the Sinai - The Suez Canal. Standing in their way were Allied forces including the Australian Lighthorse and New Zealand Mounted Infantry. The Battle of Romani would decide who would control the most important shipping route in the world.

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In August 1900, a garrison consisting of majority Australian troops were besieged by vastly superior Boer forces. For nearly two weeks the garrison held out, even after being offered an honourable surrender by the Boer Commander, Koos de la Ray. In the end, the Garrison still held the post and it was the Boers who left empty handed.

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Australia's longest running individual unit commitment was an advisory group working with the South Vietnamese forces against the North. Operating individually and in small groups, the advisors moved into an active combat role, leading the troops they had trained and in the process becoming the most decorated unit in the Vietnam War.

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After the Russian Revolution and the withdrawal of Russia from the war, a bitter civil war erupted for the control of Russia. In 1919, a British volunteer force, including Australians, was deployed to Northern Russia to assist the Russian White Army against the Communist Red Army. The Great War was over, but for some the prospect of another fight was too good to ignore.

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With Tarakan and North Borneo secured, the last great Allied attack of World War II would take place with the landings to take Balikpapan. Despite the war being almost over, the capture of Balikpapan was deemed vital and so despite disquiet among some of the Australian High Command, the invasion went forward.

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With Tarakan secured, the second phase of the Borneo Campaign could be launched. The recapture of Brunei and North Borneo would require landings on Brunei, Labaun Island, Muara Island and North Borneo. The landings were carried out unopposed, but as Australian troops pushed forward, Japanese resistance grew, especially on Labaun Island and the enemy stronghold known as The Pocket.

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A short episode to acknowledge Anzac Day and a quick look at some of the lesser known events which have occurred on or around 25th April.

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The campaign to take Borneo from the Japanese was the final Allied Operation in the South West Pacific. Before the landings on Borneo could take place, the island of Tarakan was to be taken so the airfields could be used to support the main landings. The fight for Tarakan developed into a prolonged slogging match against the terrain and the Japanese.

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In 1941 German troops invaded Greece. The Allied attempt to halt the Axis advance failed and the Allies headed south for evacuation. To buy time Australian and New Zealand troops fought a rear guard action in the same area where King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans had faced the invading army of Xerxes.

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