Notice: This is the official website of the All Empires History Community (Reg. 10 Feb 2002)

  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Diggers and Kiwis

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Diggers and Kiwis
    Posted: 24-Oct-2011 at 19:08

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
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25-Oct-2011 at 20:42
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
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-Oct-2011 at 19:30

Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-Nov-2011 at 20:01
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
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12-Nov-2011 at 19:08
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
Kevinmeath View Drop Down
Knight
Knight
Avatar

Joined: 16-May-2011
Location: Ireland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 84
  Quote Kevinmeath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Nov-2011 at 14:09
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
 
One important point NO Australians were drafted in WWI they were all volunteers and very proud of that fact.
cymru am byth
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Nov-2011 at 19:03
My mistake.
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-Mar-2012 at 19:34

New Zealand soldiers are known as Kiwis. Were they named after the boot polish, or vice versa?
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
Toltec View Drop Down
Arch Duke
Arch Duke
Avatar
Shape Shifter

Joined: 12-May-2011
Location: Hyperborea
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1748
  Quote Toltec Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-Mar-2012 at 09:53
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.
Stupidity got us into this mess, why can't it get us out?

History Planet Website
<br /
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-Mar-2012 at 20:14
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25-Apr-2012 at 19:57

The Eternal Flame at the Anzac Memorial
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
Cryptic View Drop Down
Arch Duke
Arch Duke

Retired AE Moderator

Joined: 05-Jul-2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1962
  Quote Cryptic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-Apr-2012 at 17:38
Originally posted by Nick1986


Thousands of Australians were drafted during WW1 and fought both on the Western Front and at Gallipoli.
 
As a side note, Australians were not drafted and were a 100% volunteer force. A force comprised willing volunteers and not "volunteers" or conscripts is usually very effective and the Australians were definetly effective in WWI.
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-Apr-2012 at 20:34
Like i said, i made a mistake. I should have said "joined up" but can't edit the original post


Edited by Nick1986 - 26-Apr-2012 at 20:35
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
Cryptic View Drop Down
Arch Duke
Arch Duke

Retired AE Moderator

Joined: 05-Jul-2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1962
  Quote Cryptic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-Apr-2012 at 08:33
Originally posted by Nick1986

Like i said, i made a mistake. I should have said "joined up" but can't edit the original post
Yikes, I should have read the other posts.  Had I seen that the clarification been made, I would not have mentioned the issue a second time.
 
Speaking of conscription in WWI, Canada (also well known for fighting ability) initially had an all volunteer force as well.  My general impression though is that while Australians remained 100% volunteer, Canadian recruitment policies changed in the face of mounting casualties.  These changes led to pressured  "volunteers" and eventualy to conscription.  I dont believe, however, that Canadian full conscripts could be assigned combat duties.


Edited by Cryptic - 29-Apr-2012 at 08:35
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-Apr-2012 at 20:28
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
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
Cryptic View Drop Down
Arch Duke
Arch Duke

Retired AE Moderator

Joined: 05-Jul-2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1962
  Quote Cryptic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Apr-2012 at 17:54
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
 
That is a goodf point.  I dont know what the Canadian economy looked like in 1917-18, but I can see the benefits of implementing a "conscription, but not for combat positions" policy as a means of getting unemployed, bored and potentially angry young men off the street.
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-Nov-2012 at 13:22
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
toyomotor View Drop Down
Baron
Baron

BANNED TROLL

Joined: 25-Dec-2013
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 387
  Quote toyomotor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-Jan-2014 at 03:54
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.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.56a [Free Express Edition]
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz

This page was generated in 0.109 seconds.