How did Australians feel about going to ww1?

When Australia joined the war in August 1914, the reaction was one of excitement, especially among young men. Australian men answered the call to war with a sense of adventure, duty and enthusiasm. As Australian armed forces grew from 3,000 to 50,000, some soldiers struggled with the discipline of military life.

Who said this is the war to end all wars?

H.G. Wells
The Great War, which consumed much of Europe and its colonial outposts from 1914 to 1918, was no exception. H.G. Wells called it the “war that will end war,” which later morphed into “the war to end all wars.” Wells coined this phrase in a Times editorial.

Why did Australians want to stand beside Britain ww1?

It is important to remember that Australian troops were sent to be part of an Imperial army. Most Australians believed that they were a part of the British Empire and wanted to do all they could to protect it. It was popularly believed that participation in the war would also ‘prove’ Australia as a new nation.

How old do you have to be to go to war in Australia?

The minimum age requirement to join the Australian Army is 17 years. However, you can start the application process when you are six months away from turning 17. If you are under 17 and want to apply to join the Army, you must get your application authorised in writing by both your legal guardians and parents.

Why is a British soldier called a Tommy?

By 1815, the British War Office was using the name “Tommy Atkins” as a generic term – a placeholder name – for sample infantry paperwork. An enlisting soldier unable to sign his name to his enlistment papers would make his mark – leaving the name Tommy Atkins spelled out where his real name should have been.

Why are diggers called Diggers?

Private Tudor Roberts wrote in September 1917 from France that: “the name Digger came from the (British) Tommies who think we Australians are all miners or cowboys.” Charles Bean, the Australian Official War Historian writing of the mid 1917 period, said: “It was at this stage that Australian soldiers came to be known.

Can I join the Army at 50?

Federal law dictates that the oldest recruit for any military branch must be 42 years old. However, each branch can set its cap below that < 42 limit.

Can British join Australian army?

The Australian Defence Force’s overseas recruitment program is designed to sponsor ex-serving and currently serving British Defence Force personnel who have experience in fields very similar to those within the Australian Services.

How old is the youngest ww2 vet?

Seryozha Aleshkov is the youngest World War II vet at the age of 6 years old. Having lost his father before the war along with the rest of his family, he was left an orphan at a very young age.

What was the average height of a ww1 soldier?

The average height was 5 feet 7 1/2 inches tall; the average weight was 141.5 pounds – about the same as a Civil War soldier, but an inch shorter and ten pounds lighter than those who served in World War II. 37% were unable to read or write.

What did Fisher Say in the 1914 election speech?

Executive summary On 31 July 1914 in an election speech at Colac in Victoria, the Opposition Leader Andrew Fisher (ALP) famously declared that ‘should the worst happen, after everything has been done that honour will permit, Australians will stand beside the mother country to help and defend her to our last man and our last shilling’.

What was Fisher’s war policy?

Following the September 1914 election, Fisher took office (for the third time) and his government pursued a policy of fully supporting Britain’s war effort. This Research Paper considers the context of Fisher’s declaration by briefly outlining the steps leading to the outbreak of the war and the costs to Australia by the end of hostilities.

What words were obscene in WW1?

Abstract words such as glory, honour, courage, or hallow were obscene. Ernest Hemingway, in ‘A Farewell to Arms’, 1929. 16. I also knew of men who did themselves in. British soldiers weary of sitting in the trenches who cut their throats during leave. If order hadn’t been maintained, they would have deserted. They were coerced.

Who was the Prime Minister of Australia in WW1?

When Britain declared war against Germany on 4 August 1914, Sir Joseph Cook (LIB) was Prime Minister of Australia. Following the September 1914 election, Fisher took office (for the third time) and his government pursued a policy of fully supporting Britain’s war effort.