The arts were important to many Australian soldiers during the World War I. This is evident from reading the diaries of Australian soldiers. Soldiers wrote about the books they read, the songs they sang together, quoted extracts from poems and many diaries have sketches and accounts of the beautiful churches they visited. I am planning to do some further research on the singing … [Read more...] about Australian Wartime Entertainment in a Century of Wars
War and Conflicts
The Destruction of Memory
The rebels had fled, but before they left they had destroyed a precious archive. The world gasped in dismay as the mayor of Timbuktu announced that a library recently built to hold Timbuktu’s historic manuscripts had burnt to the ground. At the time the Mayor did not know that while some historic manuscripts were now a pile of ashes, most had been saved. Yet these manuscripts … [Read more...] about The Destruction of Memory
Silence is Human
Today is Remembrance Day. We bow our heads in silence to remember all the soldiers who were killed on active duty. This year we are asked to pause for just one minute longer to remember those who continue to suffer after they have left the battle ground. Wars kill, maim and etch themselves indelibly in the psyche of returned soldiers. The war is never over for the returned … [Read more...] about Silence is Human
WWI Soldier’s Daughter to Speak About Peace
This Sunday in Sydney a human rights champion will be talking about her lifetime of work and how she was influenced in this work by her father, a veteran from World War I. If you are in Sydney tomorrow morning I encourage you to attend. Judy Hassall is the daughter of Archie Barwick whose wartime service has recently featured on the ABC television series, The War That Changed … [Read more...] about WWI Soldier’s Daughter to Speak About Peace
Travelling Back in Time
History is about time. That is so obvious that it is easy to take it for granted. While I have been moving I have been pondering what time means for my book. Some Exciting News marked a new era for Stumbling Through the Past. I finished it on the last day I will be in Australia for some months. I hit the ‘publish’ button, then shut down my computer ready for the drive to … [Read more...] about Travelling Back in Time