One of the most significant moments in Australian military history unfolded without fanfare on a tarmac at Sydney airport, when Ben Roberts-Smith was calmly escorted off a plane and into a waiting police car. The country's most-decorated living soldier and the most famous of his generation, Roberts-Smith was charged with five counts of the war crime of murder. This follows a high-profile civil defamation case that found he had unlawfully killed several unarmed Afghan detainees. Roberts-Smith, who left the Australian Defence Force in 2013, denies all wrongdoing and describes the allegations as 'egregious' and motivated by spite and jealousy from peers. His case is seen as a reflection of Australia's reckoning with its actions in Afghanistan, highlighting the tension between military pride and accountability. The prosecution of such a decorated veteran not only holds significance for Australia but also sets a precedent globally, as noted by experts observing this first-of-its-kind legal situation. The unfolding events challenge the public perception of the military and threaten to tarnish the long-held national narrative of the Anzac spirit, depicting Australian forces as effective yet ethical warriors.