image-1 = images/ADF-MiddleEast/10.jpg
title-1 = Light Horse Regiment
description-1 = 9th Australian Light Horse bring in Turkish prisoners in the Sinai (13 April 1916).
(Source: Australian War Memorial)
status-1 = 1
image-2 = images/ADF-MiddleEast/8.jpg
title-2 = Lone Pine
description-2 = Australian troops in the Lone Pine trenches.
(Source: Australian War Memorial)
status-2 = 1
image-3 = images/ADF-MiddleEast/9.jpg
title-3 =
description-3 = 3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment machine-gunners in action at Khurbetha-Ibn-Harith, near Palestine, 31 December 1917.
(Source: Australian War Memorial)
status-3 = 1
image-4 = images/ADF-MiddleEast/4.jpg
title-4 = HMAS Sydney attacks
description-4 = The Italian Cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni comes under fire from HMAS Sydney in the eastern Mediterranean, near Cape Spada.
status-4 = 1
image-5 = images/ADF-MiddleEast/7.jpg
title-5 = The Coalition
description-5 = Canadian Armed Forces officer Major General Jennie Carignan, Commander of NATO Mission Iraq, is shown over a Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle by an Australian Army soldier from Task Group Taji 10 at Camp Taji, Iraq.
(Source: Defence Image Gallery)
status-5 = 1
image-6 = images/ADF-MiddleEast/6.jpg
title-6 = Major General Susan Coyle
description-6 = Australian Army Officer, Major General Susan Coyle, CSC, DSM, met with Iraqi leadership at the Taji Military Complex, Iraq.
(Source: Defence Image Gallery)
status-6 = 1
image-7 = images/ADF-MiddleEast/7.jpg
title-7 = Major General Jennie Carignan
description-7 = Canadian Armed Forces officer Major General Jennie Carignan, Commander of NATO Mission Iraq, is shown over a Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle by an Australian Army soldier from Task Group Taji 10 at Camp Taji, Iraq.
(Source: Defence Image Gallery)
status-7 = 1
image-8 = images/ADF-MiddleEast/3.jpg
title-8 = Coalition troops in training
description-8 = Australian and Coalition Forces load a soldier with simulated injuries into a Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle as part of a mass casualty exercise at the Taji Military Complex, Iraq.
(Source: Defence Image Gallery)
status-8 = 1
image-9 = images/ADF-MiddleEast/2.jpg
title-9 =
description-9 = Australian Army Officer, Major General Susan Coyle, CSC, DSM, met with Iraqi leadership at the Taji Military Complex, Iraq.
status-9 = 1
image-10 = images/ADF-MiddleEast/2.jpg
title-10 = Taji
description-10 = Australian soldiers conduct radio checks at the Taji Military Complex, Iraq.
status-10 = 1
image-11 = images/ADF-MiddleEast/1.jpg
title-11 = Landing at Taji
description-11 = A coalition aircraft lands at the Taji Military Complex in Iraq while Australian soldiers from the Task Group Taji 10 Quick Reaction Force provide overwatch.
status-11 = 1
image-12 = images/ADF-MiddleEast/5.jpg
title-12 = Troops in training
description-12 = Australian Army Officer Captain Dylan Fusinato assists an Iraqi Security Force soldier during a range practice shoot at the Taji Military Camp, Iraq.
status-12 = 1
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Photo Essay: The history of the ADF in the Middle East
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Since Australia entered the throes of the Middle Eastern frontier in World War I, the ADF has made a number of deployments to the region. In this photo essay, we explore the human stories of the men and women who have made up successive deployments.
Since Australia entered the throes of the Middle Eastern frontier in World War I, the ADF has made a number of deployments to the region. In this photo essay, we explore the human stories of the men and women who have made up successive deployments.
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Recently, we have focused on the much-celebrated Anzac story, which saw Australians and New Zealanders fighting side-by-side in the trenches at Gallipoli in World War I.
Though much of the body of Australian military literature focuses on the World War II contribution of the ADF to the Pacific theatre, significant troop levels were deployed to the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Middle East.
And in 2003, the Howard government committed a significant contingent to Iraq under the heading of Operation Falconer. Initial commitments included a 500-strong special forces task group, three RAN ships, and a number of aircraft geared towards maritime patrol taskings, transport and air-to-air refuelling. These numbers were bolstered down the line by Operation Catalyst, which called for some 800-odd Defence personnel.
These are their stories.