Australia's WWI Story
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Australia's WWI Story
A letter from the coast
The following is a fictional story inspired by events and experiences of the First World War. It does not describe one real person. In 1915, a young Australian named Elsie sat at the kitchen table with a letter from her brother, Tom. He had volunteered for the Australian Imperial Force and was serving far from home. His letter described crowded ships, unfamiliar shores and the worry of not knowing what each day would bring. He wrote that the soldiers looked after one another, sharing what they had and helping anyone who was hurt. Tom’s unit had been sent to Gallipoli, a peninsula in the Ottoman Empire. The campaign was difficult, and many people on both sides were killed or wounded. Tom admitted that he sometimes felt afraid. “Being brave,” he wrote, “does not mean feeling no fear. It means doing what you can to help, even when you are afraid.” Elsie folded the letter carefully. In Australia, people argued about conscription—a proposal to require men to serve overseas. In two referendums, Australians voted against it. Many people believed service should remain a choice. Not everyone could enlist: rules and discrimination prevented many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men from joining, although some did serve. Years later, Elsie took Tom’s letter to an ANZAC Day commemoration. She remembered not only her brother, but all those affected by war. The day was a time to reflect on courage, loss and the people who had cared for one another.
Understanding the story
Use details from the story in your answers. For opinion questions, explain your thinking.
- Serving with the Australian Imperial Force
- Working on a farm in Australia
- Campaigning for conscription
- It gives her a chance to remember people affected by war
- It celebrates the introduction of conscription
- It marks Tom’s return from Gallipoli
3 printable pages
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