Fairfax fact-checkers sent into battle as they issue big correction of a World War I story

Once upon a time … Anzac historian Jonathan King in The Age, April 21:

It was early morning on April 25, 1918 … the French village of Villers-Bretonneux … General Sir John Monash delivered an impassioned pep talk, urging Diggers to avenge their comrades slaughtered by German-led Turkish forces on the (Gallipoli) beach in 1915.

There was a silly historian ... The Age’s correction, Saturday:

General Monash played no part in the battle for Villers-Bretonneux, ­neither in the planning nor the ­execution. He gave no speech to troops before the attack.

King wrote a rather interesting World War I yarn. The historian in The Age, April 21:

The fighting scheduled before dawn the next day would be spearheaded by … (the) Australian 4th division’s 13th brigade, led by Thomas William Glasgow, and the 15th brigade commanded by the legendary Harold “Pompey” Elliott … Elliott led his soldiers past the village on the northern side, while Glasgow led his (men) past the southern side of the village, together encircling the village and trapping sleeping Germans inside.

But King got the story a wee bit wrong. The Age, Saturday:

The article also reported that two other Australian generals, Harold “Pompey” Elliott and William Glasgow, led their troops past the town to the north and south respectively. In fact, neither of those generals were with their troops; they remained at headquarters co-ordinating the ­assault.

King says he’s a big-time historian on his official website:

Jonathan King: The historian who brings history to life ... He is an award-winning author of 25 books on Australian history ...

But King’s errors were very rookie indeed. The Age, Saturday:

There were also errors relating to the actions of Lieutenant Clifford Sadlier, ... The story said Sadlier was with ­Elliott’s 15th Brigade ... In fact, Sadlier was in the 13th Brigade, led by Glasgow ... The story said the events that led to his (Victoria Cross) award ­occurred in the “dim light of early dawn” on Anzac Day. They occurred before midnight on April 24.

The Australian’s Strewth columnist James Jeffrey on Twitter, Saturday:

It’s been a while since I saw a story with such a high casualty rate ... *lets out long, low whistle*

It's been a while since I saw a story with such a high casualty rate https://t.co/wcsckpl8Hx

— James Jeffrey (@James_Jeffrey) April 28, 2018

Elsewhere, “comedian” Michelle Wolf speaks at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, yesterday:

What’s “Uncle Tom” for white women (like Trump staffers Kellyanne Conway and Sarah Sanders) who disappoint other white women?

Using the racist term “Uncle Tom” is simply not funny. Collins English Dictionary:

noun; informal, derogatory; a black person whose behaviour towards white people is regarded as obsequious and servile.

And Uncle Tom is actually a heroic figure in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s legendary novel ...Wikipedia’s page on Uncle Tom’s Cabin, 1851:

When Tom refuses to tell (evil slave owner) Legree where (escaped black slaves) Cassy and Emmeline have gone, Legree orders his overseers to kill Tom.

Finally, the award for the most disturbing headline of the week most certainly goes to The Guardian, Saturday:

Scientists ‘keep pigs’ brains alive without a body for up to 36 hours’.