Category Archives: Australian Imperial Forces (A.I.F.)

From Longreach to the Western Front – Kenneth Selby Henderson

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  1914-15  England and France are in conflict against Germany and Austria in northern France and Belgium – the Western Front. The war is deadlocked. The Gallipoli campaign, conceived by Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill, is an attempt to break the deadlock by invading Turkey through the Dardanelles to reach Constantinople (Istanbul), establish a supply route to Russian troops fighting the Germans on the Eastern Front. 1915-1916  The Gallipoli campaign fails – poorly executed, the defensive capabilities and determination of … Continue reading

Captain Fred – Unmasked

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My last blog was about Captain Fred Rhodes, master mariner, WWI veteran, journalist and author.  I called him a man of mystery because I could find no photograph of him.  I didn’t look hard enough… To recap: after a stint as an infantryman in the A.I.F. (NAA 6858), Fred accepted a commission in the British Naval Reserve (Admiralty 340/115/35). He served on a destroyer for the remainder of WWI and was discharged with the rank of Captain, a title he retained … Continue reading

Captain Fred’s War

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One hundred years ago World War I was in its third year. Thousands of Australian soldiers were fighting for Britain against Germany and the Austro-Hungarian empire. Newspapers published reports from the frontline and lists of casualties that told of the horrors of war. Recruiting posters encouraged men to enlist, to keep hope alive in the trenches and at home. A soldier blinded by a shell burst wrote a poem calling to ‘the lads back home’ to join the fight:-   … Continue reading

Wheeler Redux – Australia, Forever Changed

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One-sixth of Australia’s total pre-World War I population of 5 million was killed in action or wounded in the Middle East battles at Egypt or Gallipoli, in France or Belgium at Messines, Polygon Wood, Passchendaele. Survivors of these battles were discharged, repatriated to Australia, expected to take up their lives after what is today acknowledged as the most brutal war in living memory. Some managed to resume their pre-war lives, despite old wounds, amputations, painful memories of loss and sacrifice; … Continue reading