Jessica Hovagimian
Britten
Gallipoli – Character Sketch
Australia is lead into World War 1 as the allies of Britain fighting the Germans for Gallipoli. Although at the battle of Gallipoli, noble as it was, was a needless massacre of young men in their prime. The excitement of the war revved up local boys and men wanting to join the army. Archibald was among these men, although he was only eighteen and turned down once in his hometown. Archie an irresistible young lad works on his family’s farm in Western Australia, during the 1915. Archie has the makings of a champion sprinter. He meets Frank a cocky drifter, at a race in Archie’s home town. Archie confides in Frank the prospect of joining the army and Frank volunteers to take Archie to Perth, Frank’s home town, where no one knows Archie and therefore, he can enlist. Although along the way they run into problems and end up crossing a desert with nothing but a canteen of water. In the duration of their trek across the desert they discuss the enlistment. Within this Archie discovers that Frank is afraid to join the infantry and Frank sees that Archie is ambitious boy on an adventurous journey of excitement. Archie and Frank split up, while Archie winds up in the light horsemen and Frank in the infantry. They arrive at training camp to discover their fleets are together in Cairo. At this, Frank is able to gain support and join the light horsemen after all. They join their regiment at the fateful battle of Gallipoli, where Archie denies being the runner of communication from the desperation to improve his manhood only to hand it down to a second place runner, Frank. The battle ends terribly at their expense, Franks and Archie’s regiment is killed in cold blood by the conniving Germans and bad communication from the bridge.
