Australia’s defence minister today denied reports that the country would send more troops to Iraq to replace outgoing British forces, saying Australia would not take up the slack if other countries began pulling forces out of the war-ravaged country.

As dawn broke today across the Aegean Sea, more than 10,000 Australians, New Zealanders and Turks gathered to sing hymns and pray for those lost in the First World War battle of Gallipoli, making the trip despite security concerns.