WWGC USTeam

At 05:54 19 January 2020, John Good wrote:

Here at Lake Keepit, we've been supported by improbable numbers of
friendly
and helpful Australian glider pilots - their culture apparently requires
this of everyone.


The Aussies in general have been particularly friendly to Yanks since
WW II. Their army was in Africa fighting for the British before Japan
entered the war. Once Japan started island hopping, the Aussies
asked Churchill to return their troops to be able to defend their
homeland. Churchill said no. So, the Aussies had to defy Churchill
and ordered their troops to return home. On the way back to Oz,
Churchill tried to have the troop ships diverted to have them fight
in Burma (IIRC). This infuriated the Aussies because they could do
nothing to defend themselves until their army returned home. The
only things that stood in the way of Japan invading Australia were
the US Navy and Douglas MacArthur. As I understand it, Yanks in
general have had a very warm welcome in Australia ever since. I
can say that over the month that I spent there flying in WGC 1987,
I felt nothing but genuine friendship and hospitality from all the
Aussies I came into contact with. At the end of my month there,
Oz seemed like a second home to me. So, yes John, their culture
requires this of them because they have not forgotten their debt of
gratitude from WW II. You can go to a lot of places in the world
where the mantra is "Yankee go home" or worse. Not in Oz.....

RO