WHEN ANZACS COME MARCHING HOME
August 1914
signalled the onset of WW1 with Britain
and Germany
going to war. Australia’s
Prime Minister, Andrew Fisher pledged the government’s full support for Britain. This announcement was met with great
enthusiasm by Australian’s with many patriotic young men keen to sign up for
King and Country. Others were lured to
enlist because they saw it as an opportunity to travel the world.
The First World
War, in terms of casualties and deaths, proved to be most costly for Australia and
the other countries involved. When the
war began Australia
had a population of less than five million yet over 300,000 men enlisted and
from those some 60,000 died and approximately 160,000 were gassed, wounded or
taken prisoner. These 160,000 along with
the other soldiers that survived the war eventually returned home. (1)
During the
ensuing post war years soldiers formed service organizations and governments
put projects into place while the communities organised commemorative services,
erected memorials, and created honour boards, yet the one thing communities
overlooked the most was the soldier himself.
Sadly, many still do.
For many years
Australians (in particular, school children) have visited the shores of
Gallipoli, the battlefields of France
and Belgium
as well as the cemeteries where those that died during the battles are buried
and commemorated. They do this to both
honour and research our war dead.
However, the soldiers that were fortunate enough to make it back to the
shores of Australia
pale into insignificance despite the fact that their experiences were much the
same.
The soldiers and nurses buried in general cemeteries across Australia
appear to have been largely forgotten.
Although some were fortunate enough to be given military funerals, and
many have been commemorated with military headstones, there are still too many
who have not. The reasons for the lack
of markers are varied, but include the family’s lack of ability to afford the
expense.
The most
tangible part of WW1 for Australian’s today, would have to be the soldiers of
Pheasant Wood that were re-interred at the new WW1 Cemetery at Fromelles in
France. People started to take more
notice of the soldiers in their family and this was evident by the many family
members who registered with the Australian Army’s Fromelles Project
administrators. The same was also
apparent by the number of articles that appeared in the print media and aired
on television channels across the country.
More interestingly several schools on the east coast of Australia
encouraged their students to research these particular soldiers. People wanted to know more about these men
and families wanted to tell their stories.
COMMUNITY AND
EDUCATION
The people and
organizations within our communities are integral to preserving history but
often they are stymied by lack of funding, volunteers and resources. It takes some major event before the
government’s coffers are opened and sometimes it becomes a ‘feel good’ exercise
as opposed to being purposeful in preserving history.
In 2011 the
Commission for the Centenary of Anzac released its report. It is a fascinating document in its scope and
content although I am left with questions.
The Commission
writes:
“Research
by Colmar
Bruton identified a common theme that expressed the need for people outside the
capital cities to be provided with ways to engage in the centenary to have a
local focus for commemorations and to be left with a lasting legacy from the
centenary activities. It was proposed
that communities may be engaged in activities centred on refurbishing existing
war memorials, honour rolls and avenues of honour. The Commission agrees that these types of
activities would provide opportunities not only for communities to come
together to restore and enhance memorials leaving them as a legacy for future
generations, but to discover the stories and personal histories that played a
part in the development of their communities”.
This is a case
of ‘reinventing the wheel’ as such projects happen annually across Australia and
are funded by Department of Veteran’s Affairs via the ‘Saluting Their Service’
program. Whilst the Commission agrees
that these projects could be part of the Centenary it does suggest that
discovering the stories and personal histories would be worthwhile I was unable
to ascertain how they envisaged that this would be done.
Most states in Australia
run some sort of educational program outside of the school based
curriculum. However, the most
comprehensive outside of the Australian War Memorial that I am aware of exists
at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. The education officers do an outstanding job
of delivering military history to the state of Victoria.
Yet what of the rest of Australia?
Several villages that are near CWGC cemeteries
in Belgium and France,
run tours for overseas visitors and often include visits to the local
museums. Many schools run an education
programmes that study the war and the soldiers buried in their local or nearby
CWGC cemeteries. Furthermore, the school
children of those countries, through their various curricula programmes know
more about Australian war history and our war dead than we do in Australia, for
example, the Harefield Churchyard in Middlesex England where children have been
laying wreaths every Anzac Day since the end of the war. Many schools and historians in Turkey, France
and Belgium
have portfolios on Australian soldiers buried in cemeteries in the vicinity of
their community and I am often amazed at the scope and content of their
research. By the same token, these
countries celebrate the various battle anniversaries to the extent that the
Last Post is played at Menin Gate every evening to honour the soldiers. Apart from the Australian War Memorial it is
not known where else the Last Post is played every evening in Australia. It is surprising that the same dedication is
not part of the military history psyche in Australia
A number of
schools undertook some exciting research into the Fromelles lads, in particular
the students from St Mary’s Catholic College in Sydney. This work is indicative of the potential for
the stories of soldiers buried in local cemeteries to be told. The results of their research can be viewed
here: http://smcchistory.ning.com/
In its
discussion on student education the Commission says:
“Between
2011 and 2013, the National History Curriculum for Foundation to Year 10 will
be introduced by departments of education into classrooms in every Australian
state and territory. The curriculum
provides a balanced, rigorous, contextualised approach to Australian, Indigenous
and world history, which will enable students to appreciate Australia’s
social, economic and political development.
It will help students to learn about Anzac tradition, Anzac Day and
other important events and symbols in Australian history”
The Commission
goes on to say:
“In regard
to the centenary, class – based activities and projects may be introduced into
the national curriculum that discuss not only the activities of the First World
War, but the role of all conflicts and peacekeeping operations that Australia
has been involved in, from the Boer War through to Afghanistan in helping to
shape our national identity”.
I have managed
to establish what is contained in the Australian History Curriculum concerning
the components for Australia’s
involvement in war. In Year 3 students
learn about ANZAC Day2, however there is no further detail as to the
content in the curriculum. Then it is
not until Year 9 that Australia’s
war history appears in the curriculum through studies into WW1:
“World War
I (1914-1918)
Students
investigate key aspects of World War I and the Australian experience of the
war, including the nature and significance of the war in world and Australian
history.
·
An overview of the causes of
World War One and the reasons why men enlisted to fight in the war.
·
The places where Australians
fought and the nature of warfare during World War I, including the Gallipoli
campaign
·
The impact of World War I,
with a particular emphasis on Australia
(such as the use of propaganda to influence the civilian population, the
changing role of women, the conscription debate.
·
The commemoration of World
War I, including debates about the nature and significance of the Anzac
legend.”
WW2 is
introduced to Year 10 students in the following manner:
“World War
II (1939-45)
Students
investigate wartime experiences through a study of World War II in depth. This
includes a study of the causes, events, outcome and broader impact of the
conflict as an episode in world history, and the nature of Australia’s
involvement.
·
An overview of the causes
and course of World War
·
An examination of
significant events of World War II, including the Holocaust and use of the
atomic
·
The experiences of
Australians during World War II (such as Prisoners of War (POWs), the Battle of Britain,
Kokoda, the Fall of Singapore)
·
The impact of World War II,
with a particular emphasis on the Australian home front, including the changing
roles of women and use of wartime government controls (conscription, manpower
controls, rationing and censorship)
·
The significance of World
War II to Australia’s international relationships in the twentieth century,
with particular reference to the United Nations, Britain, the USA and Asia.”
During an email
discussion with Paul Kliem, President of the History Teachers Association of Australia, I
was able to establish that the content of the curriculum components was left
pretty much to the discretion of the teacher thus making the Commission’s
ideals for the Centenary celebrations pointless.
Whilst the
Commission concedes that the community believes that education is paramount
there appears to be a rather large gap between their report and the National
History Curriculum content. Therefore,
during such a significant period in Australian history the soldier and his
history are passed over once again.
AUSTRALIAN
CEMETERIES
The Office of
Australian War Graves tend graves of soldiers buried in a general cemetery when
they fall into a specific criteria all others are the responsibility of the
family. Very few cemetery authorities
tend graves and as family members die or move out of the area the gravesite is
rarely visited it falls into disrepair thus obliterating some if not all of the
soldier’s history.
Within some
State Government legislation there is little protection for cemetery
preservation and many cemeteries have been demolished with buildings
constructed over the top of the graves at some later stage. In many cases irreplaceable artworks in the
form of headstones have been destroyed along with tomes of historic fact. Some could consider it to be legalised
vandalism and desecration of sacred sites or consecrated ground. Furthermore, and specifically for Western
Australia, the desecration of soldiers graves at Karrakatta Cemetery was
described as ‘inevitable’ by the Secretary of the day for the state’s RSL. In fact, the WA RSL has never publicly taken
up the baton to protest about the clearing of soldier’s headstones anywhere in
the state nor have they considered introducing a project to record them. Large sections of Karrakatta Cemetery
were completely cleared of headstones without photographs or transcriptions
being recorded. Even as this article is
being written, sections of this cemetery are earmarked for clearing.
An example of
the types of burial places being obliterated from Western
Australia’s military history at Karrakatta Cemetery
is that of Corporal Bertie Onions MM and Bar whose headstone was removed during
the complete clearing of one of the Roman Catholic sections. Bertie was born in England, later his family
moved to Denmark WA where they took up farming and in October 1916 at the age
of 20 he signed up to take part in WW1.
Corporal Onions served with 48th Battalion being wounded
twice during fighting in 1918 and his bravery on two occasions saw him awarded
the Military Medal and a Bar to that medal.
The citations read:
Military Medal:- "For conspicuous
gallantry and devotion to duty during operations 8th/9th August 1918. During the advance on PROYAT Pte Onion
handled his Lewis Gun with great skill and courage in the face of opposition
from the enemy. At one stage, seeing the
Company on the right being in trouble by an enemy machine gun, Pte Onion crept
out with his Lewis Gun and succeeded in silencing the enemy gun which had
already caused several casualties. When
the final objective was reached Pte Onion got his Lewis Gun into position and
gave valuable assistance in beating back a party of 20 Germans who were
attempting to regain a strong post. Pte
Onion's conduct throughout operations greatly inspired the men around him"
Bar
to Military Medal "For conspicuous
gallantry and devotion to duty during the advance near LE VERQUIER on the 18th
September 1918. L/Cpl Onion in charge of
a Lewis Gun section after the capture of the objective charged a portion of the
enemy trench still holding out and preventing our troops on his flank
advancing. Although his No 2 and 3 were
shot he worked ahead under heavy machine gun fire, took up a position from
where he could enfilade the enemy trench holding up the advance. From here he
gave covering fire which greatly assisted the flank troops to advance and
finally capture the trench and its garrison who were unable to escape owing to
L/Cpl Onion's fire. His action displayed
wonderful dash and initiative which inspired great confidence in the remainder
of his section."
Through a
concerted effort within a community coupled with a school education program
each and every soldier’s grave, outside of the jurisdiction of the Office of
Australian War Graves, could and can be reclaimed, repaired, restored and
researched and their story told. Those
well researched and recorded personal histories could be given back to the
community via local libraries, local government offices, RSL branches, cemetery
authorities and historical societies thus ensuring every soldier in that
cemetery has been granted the right to live forever.
CONCLUSION
On ANZAC Day
2012, the talented 117 member Orchestra from Western
Australia’s Churchlands Independent State
School will play at the opening of the
“House of Australians” in Vignacourt in France. Attending this event will be prominent
Australians and Australian Historians.
Perhaps I am cynical but I have yet to see such attention given to an
event in Western Australia
outside of Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.
Nor have I seen that amount of money dedicated to the memory of soldiers
anywhere in Western Australia outside of the
state war memorial or the Army
Museum. Perhaps the full potential of the WA Army
museum has yet to be discovered.
Paul Kelly of
‘The Australian’ whilst discussing the report of Commission for the Centenary
of Anzac in his article “The Next Anzac Century” published 23rd
April 2011 wrote; “The report is prudent but
disappointing. It reflects an Anzac story that now carries too many
expectations and is weighed down trying to satisfy everybody from
traditionalists to the peace movement”. Ironically Kelly missed the way out of those
expectations, which is through the stories of the soldiers themselves. Those individual histories can reshape the
story of the ANZACs and breath life into what this generation of men were
really like.
It is those men
that came home wounded, scarred, limbless, tortured by nightmares and
terrorised by their experiences, it is their stories of what their lives were
like and what they achieved post war that need to be told. These were amazing men who did amazing
things. These are the stories that are
beyond Gallipoli, beyond Simpson, beyond Kokoda for every soldier has earned
the right to live forever.
Footnotes:
1: A percentage of soldiers did not return to Australia
choosing to remain or marry overseas.
2. Days and weeks celebrated or commemorated in Australia (including Australia Day,
ANZAC Day, Harmony Week, National Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC week and National
Sorry Day) and the importance of symbols and emblems.
REFERENCES
