“Long may we say ‘God save the Queen’, because nothing will save the governor-general.”

Although Australia’s 21st Prime Minister Gough Whitlam passed away this morning, his words on November 11 will ring out through history.

They mark one of the most incredible moments in Australian politics, when the governor-general stepped in to sack an elected prime minister.

The move came after a tumultuous period in Australian politics: the government was racked by controversy while the Malcolm Fraser-led opposition used their majority in the Senate to block supply to the government.

Here’s how the incident, known simply as ‘The Dismissal’, unfolded.