Diggers and Kiwis

The time spent in the trenches did much to create the modern Australian identity, especially the famous "Anzac spirit" comprising contempt for authority, fierce loyalty to their mates, a reckless disregard of danger, and the use of humor when things started to look bad

And the band played Waltzing Matilda
When the ship pulled away from the quay
And amid all the tears, flag waving and cheers
We sailed off for Gallipoli

It well I remember that terrible day
When our blood stained the sand and the water
And how in that hell they call Suvla Bay
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter
Johnny Turk, he was ready, he primed himself well
He rained us with bullets, and he showered us with shell
And in five minutes flat, we were all blown to hell
He nearly blew us back home to Australia

And the band played Waltzing Matilda
When we stopped to bury our slain
Well we buried ours and the Turks buried theirs
Then it started all over again

Originally posted by Nick1986 Thousands of Australians were drafted during WW1 and fought both on the Western Front and at Gallipoli. These "Diggers" quickly earned a reputation for being tough fighters and expert sappers as many worked as miners before the war. Others joined the cavalry and were excellent horsemen, having worked on the ranches or "stations" in civilian life. Light horsemen were present during the Boer War and were part of a famous cavalry charge at Beersheba in 1917

New Zealand soldiers are known as Kiwis. Were they named after the boot polish, or vice versa?

The Digger and National Mythology

Originally posted by Nick1986 Thousands of Australians were drafted during WW1 and fought both on the Western Front and at Gallipoli.

Originally posted by Nick1986 Like i said, i made a mistake. I should have said "joined up" but can't edit the original post

Edited by Cryptic - 29-Apr-2012 at 08:35

Originally posted by Nick1986 The Canadians were smart. National service would benefit all the unemployed young men currently struggling to survive on welfare, but only volunteers and professionals should be sent into combat

Originally posted by Toltec Originally posted by Kevinmeath   One important point NO Australians were drafted in WWI they were all volunteers and very proud of that fact.     Yes they are an example of the military maxim, a volunteer army is superior to a conscripted one. This maxim has little to do with national characteristics just how much they actually want to be there.

The New Zealand National Symbol is the Kiwi, a flightless bird. This is why the NZ people are called Kiwis.
The famous Kiwi brand boot polish is named for the same reason.