Of all the magnificent units and regiments of the Australian Army I doubt if any have a better claim to have been the one that saved Australia than the 39^th Infantry Battalion, the first to advance down the Kokoda Track to confront the Japanese.

There are a number of units who could claim this title. The 25^th Brigade in the defence of Milne Bay and the Coral Sea Battle. The former was supported by the RAAF. The Coral Sea Battle was a largely American enterprise.

The 39^th held the Japs at bay alone and unsupported until the 7^th Division arrived fresh from the Middle East. For that they get my vote without detracting in any way the efforts and performance of all of our other units, and the Americans, who took on the Japs.

The Emu War is one of Australia’s strangest historical events. In late 1932, the government actually sent the army to war… against birds. And they didn’t exactly come out on top.

It was a peculiar event in Australian history that took place in the Western Australian region of Campion during the Great Depression. 

Yes, the Australian government sent a small military force, led by Major G.P.W. Meredith of the Royal Australian Artillery, armed with two Lewis guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition, to the region. The plan was to cull the emus and reduce their numbers to protect the crops.

Curious? I’m not surprised. After all, if the Australian Army couldn’t dispatch a few pesky birds, then something was seriously amiss. So let me enlighten you and tell you all about the time the Australian Army went to war against its own coat of arms… and came away with feathers in its face.

For nearly a decade, I’ve poured my soul into this blog. Twelve hours a day, seven days a week, no pay - just love. Picture me at 3 a.m., hunched over my keyboard in a quiet place like Dusty Gulch, the glow of the screen catching a moth’s flicker outside. I’m writing about our sunburnt pioneers, the cheeky cackle of a kookaburra, or a satirical jab at the world’s latest lunacy. Every word is a piece of us ...our laughter, out tears, our stubborn pride in Australia’s spirit.

You, my readers, get it. You feel that tug for stories that make us human. But now, a digital magpie called Perplexity AI is prowling, eyeing our yarns. Can it steal our facts? Maybe. But our heart? Never.

Here’s the deal with this Perplexity bloke. It’s an AI search engine that doesn’t just point you to blogs like mine - it swallows them whole, chews up the words, and spits out a tidy summary. Dates, stats, facts - all neatly packaged. Sounds fair dinkum, right? Except here’s the rub: it doesn’t always send you to the source. My posts, your comments, the independent voices we cherish...they’re left in the dust, invisible.

The Battle of Long Tan took place on August 18, 1966, in the Phuoc Tuy Province of South Vietnam. It was part of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War as part of its commitment to the United States' efforts to counter the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. The region's dense jungles, muddy terrain, and unpredictable weather added to the complexity of the conflict. The Australian soldiers were part of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, and were led by Major Harry Smith.

On that fateful day, a small Australian company of 108 men  - 105 Australians and 3 New Zealanders - found themselves vastly outnumbered by a determined North Vietnamese force estimated to be over  2000 strong. The Australians were based at a rubber plantation in Long Tan, surrounded by thick vegetation that hindered visibility and movement. The North Vietnamese launched an intense assault, employing small arms, mortars, and artillery fire.

We live in a strange age where even computers can sound like they care. AI can greet you warmly, governments can sign off letters “Yours sincerely,” and corporations can send you chirpy emails about how they “value your loyalty.”

On the surface, it can all feel a little like friendship. But is it?

The truth is, "friendship language" and real friendship are not the same thing.

They may share vocabulary, but they run on different fuel. One is a performance. The other is a bond. And if we’re not careful, we can mistake one for the other.

And yes, The Digital Dingo is AI. Ably abetted by Lord Squawk Squawk and Prentis Penjani. 

Over the years, I have learned that trust is the most valuable commodity we have. I have been let down and betrayed. But there have been standouts. 

And the biggest stand out is my Mum. She has NEVER let me down. Our governments? That is a whole different story. 

RATTY NEWS EXCLUSIVE: DIGITAL DINGO’S BIN BONANZA

By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble – Chief Correspondent, Dusty Gulch Bureau