What the Critics Say

This painting is the most accurate depiction to date of the dawn landing at Anzac Cove on 25th April 1915. It captures the essence of the action some thirty minutes after the initial landing and strips away the myth associated with this iconic action in Australian military history. Clearly, the artist has researched the subject meticulously, down to the details of the uniforms, headdress and equipment worn that day, the terrain, the shipping offshore, and the light casualties sustained by the Australians around the cove at the beginning of the action. Brigadier Chris Roberts AM, CSC (Rtd)

About Brigadier Chris Roberts AM, CSC (Rtd)

Chris Roberts saw active service in South Vietnam as a troop commander with the 3rd SAS Squadron. He then served in a number of regimental and training appointments including Officer Commanding 1st SAS Squadron and Brigade Major 1st Task Force.

After staff appointments in Army Headquarters he was the Commanding Officer of the SAS Regiment. Subsequent appointments included Commander Special Forces, Director-General Joint Exercise Plans for Exercise Kangaroo 92, Director-General Corporate Planning-Army, and Commander, Northern Command, a tri-service command responsible for Defence operations across northern Australia.

Chris then spent over 7 years with the Multiplex Group as Executive Chairman Multiplex Facilities Management, and Group General Manager Corporate Planning and Human Resources.

Since retiring he was worked as volunteer in the Military History Section of the Australian War Memorial helping with the production of "A Letter From Long Tan" (film) and ANZACs on the Western Front: The Australian War Memorial Battlefield Guide. He is presently writing a volume for the Australian Army Campaign Series on the landing at Anzac.

Chris is a graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon; the University of Western Australia (BA Honours in History); the Army Staff College; the United States Armed Forces Staff College; and the Australian College of Defence and Strategic Studies. He has published three papers: "The landing at Anzac: a re-assessment" Journal of the Australian War Memorial, No 22 April 1993; Chinese Strategy and the Spratly Islands Dispute, working paper No 293 Strategic & Defence Studies Centre, ANU; and "Turkish machine guns at the landing" Wartime, No 50 April 2010.