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The Advertiser
10-05-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
Full life of former POW marked with state farewell
One of Australia's last surviving World War II prisoners of war has been farewelled at a state funeral, where he was remembered as a dedicated, resilient soldier and cherished member of his community. Arthur Leggett, who died on April 6 at the age of 106, was honoured with a military procession and service in Perth on Saturday. A riderless horse, symbolising a dead soldier, led the procession down St Georges Terrace, lined with hundreds of people paying their respects, before a service at St George's Cathedral. The horse, led by a handler, had reversed boots in the stirrups, indicating the fallen rider. Mr Leggett enlisted for military service in 1936, becoming part of the newly raised Cameron Highlanders of WA, before joining the first World War II Australian Imperial Force unit raised in WA, the 2/11th Battalion, 6th Division. Several items were displayed atop his casket, including his cherished sporran badge, which he kept when surrendering his Highland kit upon joining the WA battalion. The badge accompanied him throughout his time as a prisoner of war during World War II and he often recalled having to hide it from his German captors to protect the item. Prior to his capture, he trained as a signaller responsible for crucial communications between companies and battalion headquarters in the Middle East, serving with distinction in Libya, Greece, and Crete. At the age of 22, he was captured by German forces following the Battle of Crete and was a prisoner of war for almost four years, surviving the infamous Lamsdorf Death March. Mr Leggett dedicated much of his life after the war to highlighting the sacrifices of serving men and women, and was president of the Ex-Prisoners of War Association WA for nearly 30 years. His youngest daughter, Sue Meagher, said her father was a remarkable man who had touched many lives. "He was a hardworking man - very gentle, very humble," she said before the event. It was important for young people to understand what previous generations like that of her father experienced so everyone could enjoy their freedom today, Ms Meagher said. "When you hear the stories of what some of these older generations went through, they were tough people, they were wonderful, strong men," she said. Premier Roger Cook said the state's last surviving World War II prisoner of war was "a hero whose bravery and contribution to his community will never be forgotten". During the service, Mr Leggett was remembered as having a "very full civilian life". He was also a keen visitor of schools across the state, including Mount Lawley Senior High School, which named its library in his honour in 2018. One of Australia's last surviving World War II prisoners of war has been farewelled at a state funeral, where he was remembered as a dedicated, resilient soldier and cherished member of his community. Arthur Leggett, who died on April 6 at the age of 106, was honoured with a military procession and service in Perth on Saturday. A riderless horse, symbolising a dead soldier, led the procession down St Georges Terrace, lined with hundreds of people paying their respects, before a service at St George's Cathedral. The horse, led by a handler, had reversed boots in the stirrups, indicating the fallen rider. Mr Leggett enlisted for military service in 1936, becoming part of the newly raised Cameron Highlanders of WA, before joining the first World War II Australian Imperial Force unit raised in WA, the 2/11th Battalion, 6th Division. Several items were displayed atop his casket, including his cherished sporran badge, which he kept when surrendering his Highland kit upon joining the WA battalion. The badge accompanied him throughout his time as a prisoner of war during World War II and he often recalled having to hide it from his German captors to protect the item. Prior to his capture, he trained as a signaller responsible for crucial communications between companies and battalion headquarters in the Middle East, serving with distinction in Libya, Greece, and Crete. At the age of 22, he was captured by German forces following the Battle of Crete and was a prisoner of war for almost four years, surviving the infamous Lamsdorf Death March. Mr Leggett dedicated much of his life after the war to highlighting the sacrifices of serving men and women, and was president of the Ex-Prisoners of War Association WA for nearly 30 years. His youngest daughter, Sue Meagher, said her father was a remarkable man who had touched many lives. "He was a hardworking man - very gentle, very humble," she said before the event. It was important for young people to understand what previous generations like that of her father experienced so everyone could enjoy their freedom today, Ms Meagher said. "When you hear the stories of what some of these older generations went through, they were tough people, they were wonderful, strong men," she said. Premier Roger Cook said the state's last surviving World War II prisoner of war was "a hero whose bravery and contribution to his community will never be forgotten". During the service, Mr Leggett was remembered as having a "very full civilian life". He was also a keen visitor of schools across the state, including Mount Lawley Senior High School, which named its library in his honour in 2018. One of Australia's last surviving World War II prisoners of war has been farewelled at a state funeral, where he was remembered as a dedicated, resilient soldier and cherished member of his community. Arthur Leggett, who died on April 6 at the age of 106, was honoured with a military procession and service in Perth on Saturday. A riderless horse, symbolising a dead soldier, led the procession down St Georges Terrace, lined with hundreds of people paying their respects, before a service at St George's Cathedral. The horse, led by a handler, had reversed boots in the stirrups, indicating the fallen rider. Mr Leggett enlisted for military service in 1936, becoming part of the newly raised Cameron Highlanders of WA, before joining the first World War II Australian Imperial Force unit raised in WA, the 2/11th Battalion, 6th Division. Several items were displayed atop his casket, including his cherished sporran badge, which he kept when surrendering his Highland kit upon joining the WA battalion. The badge accompanied him throughout his time as a prisoner of war during World War II and he often recalled having to hide it from his German captors to protect the item. Prior to his capture, he trained as a signaller responsible for crucial communications between companies and battalion headquarters in the Middle East, serving with distinction in Libya, Greece, and Crete. At the age of 22, he was captured by German forces following the Battle of Crete and was a prisoner of war for almost four years, surviving the infamous Lamsdorf Death March. Mr Leggett dedicated much of his life after the war to highlighting the sacrifices of serving men and women, and was president of the Ex-Prisoners of War Association WA for nearly 30 years. His youngest daughter, Sue Meagher, said her father was a remarkable man who had touched many lives. "He was a hardworking man - very gentle, very humble," she said before the event. It was important for young people to understand what previous generations like that of her father experienced so everyone could enjoy their freedom today, Ms Meagher said. "When you hear the stories of what some of these older generations went through, they were tough people, they were wonderful, strong men," she said. Premier Roger Cook said the state's last surviving World War II prisoner of war was "a hero whose bravery and contribution to his community will never be forgotten". During the service, Mr Leggett was remembered as having a "very full civilian life". He was also a keen visitor of schools across the state, including Mount Lawley Senior High School, which named its library in his honour in 2018. One of Australia's last surviving World War II prisoners of war has been farewelled at a state funeral, where he was remembered as a dedicated, resilient soldier and cherished member of his community. Arthur Leggett, who died on April 6 at the age of 106, was honoured with a military procession and service in Perth on Saturday. A riderless horse, symbolising a dead soldier, led the procession down St Georges Terrace, lined with hundreds of people paying their respects, before a service at St George's Cathedral. The horse, led by a handler, had reversed boots in the stirrups, indicating the fallen rider. Mr Leggett enlisted for military service in 1936, becoming part of the newly raised Cameron Highlanders of WA, before joining the first World War II Australian Imperial Force unit raised in WA, the 2/11th Battalion, 6th Division. Several items were displayed atop his casket, including his cherished sporran badge, which he kept when surrendering his Highland kit upon joining the WA battalion. The badge accompanied him throughout his time as a prisoner of war during World War II and he often recalled having to hide it from his German captors to protect the item. Prior to his capture, he trained as a signaller responsible for crucial communications between companies and battalion headquarters in the Middle East, serving with distinction in Libya, Greece, and Crete. At the age of 22, he was captured by German forces following the Battle of Crete and was a prisoner of war for almost four years, surviving the infamous Lamsdorf Death March. Mr Leggett dedicated much of his life after the war to highlighting the sacrifices of serving men and women, and was president of the Ex-Prisoners of War Association WA for nearly 30 years. His youngest daughter, Sue Meagher, said her father was a remarkable man who had touched many lives. "He was a hardworking man - very gentle, very humble," she said before the event. It was important for young people to understand what previous generations like that of her father experienced so everyone could enjoy their freedom today, Ms Meagher said. "When you hear the stories of what some of these older generations went through, they were tough people, they were wonderful, strong men," she said. Premier Roger Cook said the state's last surviving World War II prisoner of war was "a hero whose bravery and contribution to his community will never be forgotten". During the service, Mr Leggett was remembered as having a "very full civilian life". He was also a keen visitor of schools across the state, including Mount Lawley Senior High School, which named its library in his honour in 2018.
The Advertiser
09-05-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
Poignant tribute to life of 'gentle, humble' former POW
A riderless horse will lead a poignant tribute ahead of a state funeral for one of the nation's last World War II prisoners of war. Arthur Leggett, who died on April 6 at the age of 106, will be honoured with a military procession in Perth on Saturday. Western Australia Veterans Minister Paul Papalia said it was possibly the only time the public would get to see a military state funeral and "certainly the only time we get to farewell someone of this stature from the Second World War". A riderless horse will lead the march and the tenor bell at St George's Cathedral will toll 106 times before falling silent as the state funeral begins. The horse, led by a handler, will have reversed boots in the stirrups, indicating the rider has died. Mr Leggett's youngest daughter, Sue Meagher, said her father was a remarkable man who had touched many lives. "He was a hardworking man - very gentle, very humble," she said. It was important for young people to understand what previous generations like her father's did so they could now enjoy freedom, Ms Meagher said. "When you hear the stories of what some of these older generations went through, they were tough people, they were wonderful, strong men," she said. Premier Roger Cook said the state's last surviving World War II prisoner of war was "a hero whose bravery and contribution to his community will never be forgotten". Mr Leggett enlisted for military service in 1936, becoming part of the newly raised Cameron Highlanders of WA, before joining the first World War II Australian Imperial Force unit raised in WA, the 2/11th Battalion, 6th Division. He trained as a signaller responsible for crucial communications between companies and battalion headquarters in the Middle East, serving with distinction in Libya, Greece, and Crete. At the age of 22, he was captured by German forces following the Battle of Crete and was a prisoner of war for almost four years, surviving the infamous Lamsdorf Death March. Mr Leggett dedicated much of his life after the war to highlighting the sacrifices of serving men and women, and was president of the Ex-Prisoners of War Association WA for nearly 30 years. The public is invited to line the St Georges Terrace route and follow behind the procession after it has passed. The march will conclude with a Royal Australian Air Force flyover before the state funeral at the cathedral, from 10.30am. A riderless horse will lead a poignant tribute ahead of a state funeral for one of the nation's last World War II prisoners of war. Arthur Leggett, who died on April 6 at the age of 106, will be honoured with a military procession in Perth on Saturday. Western Australia Veterans Minister Paul Papalia said it was possibly the only time the public would get to see a military state funeral and "certainly the only time we get to farewell someone of this stature from the Second World War". A riderless horse will lead the march and the tenor bell at St George's Cathedral will toll 106 times before falling silent as the state funeral begins. The horse, led by a handler, will have reversed boots in the stirrups, indicating the rider has died. Mr Leggett's youngest daughter, Sue Meagher, said her father was a remarkable man who had touched many lives. "He was a hardworking man - very gentle, very humble," she said. It was important for young people to understand what previous generations like her father's did so they could now enjoy freedom, Ms Meagher said. "When you hear the stories of what some of these older generations went through, they were tough people, they were wonderful, strong men," she said. Premier Roger Cook said the state's last surviving World War II prisoner of war was "a hero whose bravery and contribution to his community will never be forgotten". Mr Leggett enlisted for military service in 1936, becoming part of the newly raised Cameron Highlanders of WA, before joining the first World War II Australian Imperial Force unit raised in WA, the 2/11th Battalion, 6th Division. He trained as a signaller responsible for crucial communications between companies and battalion headquarters in the Middle East, serving with distinction in Libya, Greece, and Crete. At the age of 22, he was captured by German forces following the Battle of Crete and was a prisoner of war for almost four years, surviving the infamous Lamsdorf Death March. Mr Leggett dedicated much of his life after the war to highlighting the sacrifices of serving men and women, and was president of the Ex-Prisoners of War Association WA for nearly 30 years. The public is invited to line the St Georges Terrace route and follow behind the procession after it has passed. The march will conclude with a Royal Australian Air Force flyover before the state funeral at the cathedral, from 10.30am. A riderless horse will lead a poignant tribute ahead of a state funeral for one of the nation's last World War II prisoners of war. Arthur Leggett, who died on April 6 at the age of 106, will be honoured with a military procession in Perth on Saturday. Western Australia Veterans Minister Paul Papalia said it was possibly the only time the public would get to see a military state funeral and "certainly the only time we get to farewell someone of this stature from the Second World War". A riderless horse will lead the march and the tenor bell at St George's Cathedral will toll 106 times before falling silent as the state funeral begins. The horse, led by a handler, will have reversed boots in the stirrups, indicating the rider has died. Mr Leggett's youngest daughter, Sue Meagher, said her father was a remarkable man who had touched many lives. "He was a hardworking man - very gentle, very humble," she said. It was important for young people to understand what previous generations like her father's did so they could now enjoy freedom, Ms Meagher said. "When you hear the stories of what some of these older generations went through, they were tough people, they were wonderful, strong men," she said. Premier Roger Cook said the state's last surviving World War II prisoner of war was "a hero whose bravery and contribution to his community will never be forgotten". Mr Leggett enlisted for military service in 1936, becoming part of the newly raised Cameron Highlanders of WA, before joining the first World War II Australian Imperial Force unit raised in WA, the 2/11th Battalion, 6th Division. He trained as a signaller responsible for crucial communications between companies and battalion headquarters in the Middle East, serving with distinction in Libya, Greece, and Crete. At the age of 22, he was captured by German forces following the Battle of Crete and was a prisoner of war for almost four years, surviving the infamous Lamsdorf Death March. Mr Leggett dedicated much of his life after the war to highlighting the sacrifices of serving men and women, and was president of the Ex-Prisoners of War Association WA for nearly 30 years. The public is invited to line the St Georges Terrace route and follow behind the procession after it has passed. The march will conclude with a Royal Australian Air Force flyover before the state funeral at the cathedral, from 10.30am. A riderless horse will lead a poignant tribute ahead of a state funeral for one of the nation's last World War II prisoners of war. Arthur Leggett, who died on April 6 at the age of 106, will be honoured with a military procession in Perth on Saturday. Western Australia Veterans Minister Paul Papalia said it was possibly the only time the public would get to see a military state funeral and "certainly the only time we get to farewell someone of this stature from the Second World War". A riderless horse will lead the march and the tenor bell at St George's Cathedral will toll 106 times before falling silent as the state funeral begins. The horse, led by a handler, will have reversed boots in the stirrups, indicating the rider has died. Mr Leggett's youngest daughter, Sue Meagher, said her father was a remarkable man who had touched many lives. "He was a hardworking man - very gentle, very humble," she said. It was important for young people to understand what previous generations like her father's did so they could now enjoy freedom, Ms Meagher said. "When you hear the stories of what some of these older generations went through, they were tough people, they were wonderful, strong men," she said. Premier Roger Cook said the state's last surviving World War II prisoner of war was "a hero whose bravery and contribution to his community will never be forgotten". Mr Leggett enlisted for military service in 1936, becoming part of the newly raised Cameron Highlanders of WA, before joining the first World War II Australian Imperial Force unit raised in WA, the 2/11th Battalion, 6th Division. He trained as a signaller responsible for crucial communications between companies and battalion headquarters in the Middle East, serving with distinction in Libya, Greece, and Crete. At the age of 22, he was captured by German forces following the Battle of Crete and was a prisoner of war for almost four years, surviving the infamous Lamsdorf Death March. Mr Leggett dedicated much of his life after the war to highlighting the sacrifices of serving men and women, and was president of the Ex-Prisoners of War Association WA for nearly 30 years. The public is invited to line the St Georges Terrace route and follow behind the procession after it has passed. The march will conclude with a Royal Australian Air Force flyover before the state funeral at the cathedral, from 10.30am.
The Guardian
25-04-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Denied citizenship by the country he died for, this Anzac Day Aboriginal war hero Bill Allen is being honoured in France
Outside the French town of Péronne on 31 August 1918, Private William Allen Irwin – a Gomeroi man from near Coonabarabran in New South Wales – was pinned down by German machine-gun fire alongside fellow Australian soldiers from the 33rd infantry battalion. They had been ordered to wrest control of enemy-held positions in an area known as Road Wood during the battle of Mont St-Quentin. In the face of heavy fire Allen rushed three machine-gun nests, capturing the weapons and crews. The job not done, he tried to capture a fourth, where he was fatally wounded. He died the next day. Despite his bravery, for which he was posthumously awarded the distinguished conduct medal, Bill Allen was never recognised as a citizen of his own country. Now, more than 106 years later, he has been made an honorary citizen of France's Somme Valley. Allen was one of about 1,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men who fought for Australia in the first world war. He joined the army in 1916 when the Defence Act of 1909 barred recruits who were 'not substantially of European origin or descent'. (This restriction was lifted in 1917.) According to at least one account, it was a broken heart that prompted the 37-year-old to volunteer. He had been working with his brothers, Harry and Jack, as a shearer in towns across New South Wales including Quirindi, Werris Creek and Moree. In 1915 the woman he hoped to wed married another man. Harry sought to stop his brother joining the Australian Imperial Force, even riding his horse to Newcastle to try to intervene before the troop ship left Australia in May 1916. Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter After four months training in England, Allen landed in the mud and trenches of the western front, taking part in the Battle of Messines, where he was wounded and sent back to England to convalesce. On his return to France he was injured a number of times. His body was buried at Daours. The Somme Valley community of communes, which comprises 33 townships across the region, held a 'day of tribute' last week in Allen's honour. A representative, Stéphane Chevin, said: 'Learning about his life and service inspired us to reflect on the values he embodied – bravery, resilience, and a strong sense of duty. 'This is the very first time that our region has awarded this distinction, by honouring soldier Irwin we are also paying tribute to the Aboriginal community whose history has too often been overlooked.' Allen's great-nephew Peter Milliken, who travelled to France for the ceremony, says the recognition 'means a hell of a lot'. 'He's never been a citizen of anywhere and, for the French to do this, it's a big honour,' he says, adding that theAustralian government 'probably should have done this years ago'. A picture of his great-uncle always had pride of place at his nanna's home in Walhallow, NSW, Milliken says. 'I'm 67 now and this story I've probably known since I was three or four years old. My whole family knows about this man and we always have – the story's been handed down for over 100 years.' Sign up to Afternoon Update: Election 2025 Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key election campaign stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion The French recognition of Allen's service was made possible largely through the work of a Gomeroi/Yullaroi man, Joe Flick, and his project Bringing Their Spirits Home, along with a documentary by the Yuwaalaraay film-maker Dylan Nicholls. Over a decade Flick documented and photographed the first world war graves of Aboriginal soldiers in the UK, France and Belgium. Nicholls was so moved by Flick's project that he made the documentary about it. 'It's so sad that we have so many of our mob over there buried so far away from their traditional country,' he says. 'So I had an idea I wanted to make a documentary about a descendant's journey of going over to France and visiting their ancestor's grave and I came across the story of William Allen Irwin DCM.' All three men travelled to France last year to shoot Bringing His Spirit Home and to walk in the footsteps of Allen, seeing where he fought and fell, and where his body lies. 'I wasn't the first to go to the gravesite, there's probably been three or four family members that have been over there before,' Milliken says. 'I was the first to be able to go to the battleground … to walk over that was very emotional.' On Anzac Day Milliken will pay tribute to his great-uncle in Villers-Bretonneux: 'I'll get to lay a wreath for the old fella … I'm pretty honoured,' he says. Milliken and the rest of Allen's extended family hope that one day his body can return home to Gomeroi country. 'He was a great a man, you know, and he really deserved to come home,' Milliken says. 'For Gomeroi people we need to be buried back on country and we're never at rest until you're back on your own country – it's the Aboriginal thoughts and ways.' This article was amended on 25 April 2025 to correct the spelling of Bill Allen's name. A previous version incorrectly said that on Anzac Day Peter Milliken was laying a wreath for his great-uncle in Paris rather than Villers-Bretonneux.
The Guardian
24-04-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Denied citizenship by the country he died for, this Anzac Day Aboriginal war hero Bill Allan is being honoured by France
Outside the French town of Péronne on 31 August 1918, Private William Allan Irwin – a Gomeroi man from near Coonabarabran in New South Wales – was pinned down by German machine-gun fire alongside fellow Australian soldiers from the 33rd infantry battalion. They had been ordered to wrest control of enemy-held positions in an area known as Road Wood during the battle of Mont St-Quentin. In the face of heavy fire Allan rushed three machine-gun nests, capturing the weapons and crews. The job not done, he tried to capture a fourth, where he was fatally wounded. He died the next day. Despite his bravery, for which he was posthumously awarded the distinguished conduct medal, Bill Allan was never recognised as a citizen of his own country. Now, more than 106 years later, he has been made an honorary citizen of France's Somme Valley. Allan was one of about 1,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men who fought for Australia in the first world war. He joined the army in 1916 when the Defence Act of 1909 barred recruits who were 'not substantially of European origin or descent'. (This restriction was lifted in 1917.) According to at least one account, it was a broken heart that prompted the 37-year-old to volunteer. He had been working with his brothers, Harry and Jack, as a shearer in towns across NSW including Quirindi, Werris Creek and Moree. In 1915 the woman he hoped to wed married another man. Harry sought to stop his brother joining the Australian Imperial Force, even riding his horse to Newcastle to try to intervene before the troop ship left Australia in May 1916. Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter After four months training in England, Allan landed in the mud and trenches of the western front, taking part in the Battle of Messines, where he was wounded and sent back to England to convalesce. On his return to France he was injured a number of times. His body was buried at Daours. The Somme Valley community of communes, which comprises 33 townships across the region, held a 'day of tribute' last week in Allan's honour. A representative, Stéphane Chevin, said: 'Learning about his life and service inspired us to reflect on the values he embodied – bravery, resilience, and a strong sense of duty. 'This is the very first time that our region has awarded this distinction, by honouring soldier Irwin we are also paying tribute to the Aboriginal community whose history has too often been overlooked.' Allan's great-nephew Peter Milliken, who travelled to France for the ceremony, says the recognition 'means a hell of a lot'. 'He's never been a citizen of anywhere and, for the French to do this, it's a big honour,' he says, adding that theAustralian government 'probably should have done this years ago'. A picture of his great-uncle always had price of place at his nanna's home in Walhallow, NSW, Milliken says. 'I'm 67 now and this story I've probably known since I was three or four years old. My whole family knows about this man and we always have – the story's been handed down for over 100 years.' Sign up to Afternoon Update: Election 2025 Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key election campaign stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion The French recognition of Allan's service was made possible largely through the work of a Gomeroi/Yullaroi man, Joe Flick, and his project Bringing Their Spirits Home, along with a documentary by the Yuwaalaraay film-maker Dylan Nicholls. Over a decade Flick documented and photographed the first world war graves of Aboriginal soldiers in the UK, France and Belgium. Nicholls was so moved by Flick's project that he made the documentary about it. 'It's so sad that we have so many of our mob over there buried so far away from their traditional country,' he says. 'So I had an idea I wanted to make a documentary about a descendant's journey of going over to France and visiting their ancestor's grave and I came across the story of William Allan Irwin DCM.' All three men travelled to France last year to shoot Bringing His Spirit Home and to walk in the footsteps of Allan, seeing where he fought and fell, and where his body lies. 'I wasn't the first to go to the gravesite, there's probably been three or four family members that have been over there before,' Milliken says. 'I was the first to be able to go to the battleground … to walk over that was very emotional.' On Anzac Day Milliken will pay tribute to his great-uncle in Paris: 'I'll get to lay a wreath for the old fella … I'm pretty honoured,' he says. Milliken and the rest of Allan's extended family hope that one day his body can return home to Gomeroi country. 'He was a great a man, you know, and he really deserved to come home,' Milliken says. 'For Gomeroi people we need to be buried back on country and we're never at rest until you're back on your own country – it's the Aboriginal thoughts and ways.'
Sydney Morning Herald
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why so many Diggers voted ‘no' to conscription in WWI
Another, Private Arthur Giles stated forcibly that 'if they don't come of their own free will, let them stay away … the majority would only let us down when in a tight corner' and simply 'wouldn't [be] the same class of men at all'. These entries reveal the 'stigma of conscription', a known phenomenon that occurred in countries that introduced compulsory military service, such as England and New Zealand. These comments played into concerns for the quality and calibre of conscripted men, whose motivation, discipline and military effectiveness would be supposedly less than those who had come voluntarily. Loading Other reasons that emerge in the soldiers' diaries is a distinct resentment towards military authorities. The Australian history curriculum teaches well-known, but mythologised accounts of the Digger as a larrikin who had a natural distrust of authority. The accounts in the diaries do not support that narrative, but are related. They are littered with frustrating accounts of soldiers being used in ways that created palpable anger. Sergeant Major Eric Clarke of Fairfield wrote: 'We were all told to stand fast and record our votes for conscription … we were kept on parade in torrents of rain and a bitterly cold wind for five hours to record our vote, what is only for the result of same to be. In speaking of it afterwards we found that 90 per cent voted NO in [our] division'. Similarly, Private Cameron Robertson of Rozelle wrote 'if men in Australia knew what they would have to put up with 'on active service' … they would see the authorities in hell before they came away. Yet they want conscription in Australia!! Hell! What a fallacy?!!' Loading The vote among the soldiers was every bit as charged and divisive as it was on the home front. Historian Gerald Kristianson remarked that those who voted 'no' on the home front were 'viewed akin to traitors' while those who voted 'yes' 'seemed close to being murderers'. Digger Peter Turnbull gives us a sense of the intensity of the vote to the soldiers. 'We vote tomorrow for or against conscription, only two in our hut out of 12 are for it & we have been arguing all day, in fact nearly fighting,' he wrote. Private Frank Molony, an architect from Petersham, wrote furiously of 'the rumour about that conscription has so far in the counting failed… Oh God make this a lie… if the country we love denies us. The Dead will give us more honour than our living.' The vote extended to the many faces of Australia's wartime commitment, including women who made up more than one per cent of the Australian Imperial Force as nurses. Nurse 'Queenie' Avenell was not put off by the '156 dressings to do, about 30 one-armed men … [who] are going back to Australia and are all just shattered wrecks really'. Queenie interestingly 'voted for it. We have got to win the war by men'. The very fact Australia and Australian soldiers were afforded the opportunity to vote on this important question is significant historically. The reasons behind how the Diggers voted were deeply personal and provide a glimpse into the divisiveness of the issue and how split the nation was on the proposal. The results of the two referendums were honoured. No young men were conscripted to serve. Democratic norms were observed and the very freedoms for which the Diggers fought and died were preserved. Now that's worth celebrating.
