How does the scene at the Homestead following Frank and Archies successful crossing of the desert reflect thinking of the time? The thinking of the time was that it was good to go to war and to support your allies. When the family sees that Archie is signing up for the Lighthorse and Frank isn’t they take a much better liking to Archie. The father says if I had a son he’d be signing up.
Why is Franks father so angry that his son is going to fight for the British Empire? Because the British soldiers murdered his grandfather, they hung him by his belt 5 miles from Dublin in Ireland.
What is the difference between the infantry and the Lighthorse? To be accepted into the Lighthorse the recruit must be able to ride a horse, where as in the infantry anyone can join up. The Lighthorse is therefore seen as superior to the Infantry and are distinguished by there stylish uniforms and a feather in their cap.
The Anzacs were renowned for their humour and larrikin behaviour. Show how the scenes in Egypt reflect this. The four Aussie men from the railway make fun of the British commander by impersonating him and chanting “if England needs a hand well here it is”. They try to make light of bad situations by making jokes and laughing with their mates.
What is the attitude towards the English officers? What does this perhaps suggest about the Australian character? The Australians find the English officers very pompous in the way he speak and act. The Australians attitude towards the officers is one of bemusement. Although some are able to show respect, others make fun of them.
How does the relationship between Frank and Archie bring out the notion of mateship? Mateship is an Australian term to describe the bond forged between men particularly in war time. In this sense the notion of mateship is brought out by Frank and Archie in characteristics such as dependability, team work, never giving up, going all out, watching out for each other, and not letting one another down. From the moment Frank and Archie were reunited in the practise battle between infantry and Lighthorse their bond was obvious by their expressions, words and actions.
What impression do you get of the conditions in the beach area? It’s a war zone, the men are constantly exposed and in the line of fire. It’s very unsanitary and unhygienic, with all the open wounds from the injured, people can get sick and catch disease very easily.
How do the Australian troops show their resourcefulness at Gallipoli? They make do with whatever they have. They make grenades out of tin cans, nails and whatever else they can find.
Provide some examples of dark humour. When throwing a grenade over the trenches one soldier shouts to the turk “morning Abdul”, another is when walking through the trenches a man shakes the hand of a dead soldier and says “Gday mate”, when swimming in the sea the soldiers throw insurance money in a hat and if one gets shot they get the money.
What impression is given of the nature of fighting? It’s disorganised, chaotic and random. Know one really knows what’s coming next.
What do we see of the Turks? Why do you think so little attention is given to the Turkish side in the story? We see the Turkish prisoners and we recognise that they are the enemy. The story is being told from the Australian point of view about the experience of the Australian soldiers.
Does the film suggest an anti-British bias? Yes it does. It suggests that the British had little regard for the lives of Australian soldiers. They were prepared to sacrifice Australian lives in order that British soldiers could safely land elsewhere.
What do you see as the significance of the final scene? How do you feel about the way the film ends? For many Gallipoli was a major tragedy and a total disaster which left 60,000 innocent Australians dead. For a young and small nation it was a terrible price to pay. The entire operation was a senseless waste of life.
