It's been a long time coming, but in this episode we look at the role Australian nurses played during World War 2, Korea, Malaya and Vietnam. With the changing methods of waging war, the challenges facing nurses required innovation, adaptability and courage. Wherever and whenever they were needed to treat sick and wounded troops, they went and enhanced the reputation their predecessors had established during World War 1.

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With a career spanning two world wars, few Australians have played such an important role in the history of Australia at arms. Landing at Gallipoli on 25th April 1915, he proved himself to be a courageous and competent soldier. In 1918 he served as Chief of Staff to General John Monash helping to plan the pivotal battles of Hamel and Amiens. Throughout World War II he was Australia's top ranked soldier from the Middle East to New Guinea and Borneo. His military achievements were sometimes offset controversy during his tenure as Victorian Commissioner of Police and in some of his actions during World War II.

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In this bonus episode we tell the story of Private Bruce Kingsbury, the first Australian to receive a Victoria Cross for actions in New Guinea.

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After playing a large role in halting the German Spring Offensive outside of Villers Bretonneux in April 1918, Australian troops saw an opportunity to hit back and recapture large sections of the German front line. But rather than launch a full scale battle, the unofficial operation 'Peaceful Penetration' managed to push the German line back an average of three miles with very little fighting.

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In this third and final episode on the Royal Australian Navy in the Great War, we follow HMAS Pioneer on her patrol off German East Africa. Then we turn to the main theatre of the war, the North Sea. The HMAS Australia, HMAS Sydney and HMAS Melbourne joined in the blockade of Germany and for some members of Australia's crew, the opportunity to take part in a raid which would set the formula for Commando units in the next war.

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With the first AIF convoy safely arrived in Egypt, the escorting ships were free to be deployed elsewhere. But while the ANZAC troops were landing at Gallipoli, the submarine AE2 was pushing forward through the Turkish minefields embarking on five days of 'running amok' throughout the Dardanelles. Later in the Campaign, the 1st Royal Australian Navy Bridging Train forged their own part of the Gallipoli story supporting the British landing at Suvla Bay. And we tell the forgotten story of the RAN's 'almost' mutiny.

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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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