ANZAC Day
A peace-nik honors Australia and New Zealand's diggers
[Image: A digger’s slouch hat badge from WWI.]
Published 2023-04-25
Introduction
This article will focus on the political emancipation of the white invaders of the continent of Australia and one of the important cultural emblems of Australian society, the ANZACs and their legend.
It is important to note that the continent had been inhabited by its native human population in a culturally diverse collection of communities which one could call tribes or nations for at least 60 000 years before the invasion. They spoke a variety of languages, traded with one another, fought amongst themselves for access to prime lands of abundance, developed their own histories and cultural beliefs, created technologies like the boomerang, and had effective healthcare developed upon the use of natural resources including plants. The fact that they didn't build permanent structures or use writing led the European colonists to erroneously view the native population as "primitive".
Every single element of the U.N. definition of genocide has been delivered upon Australia's native peoples by the invading British. The still young nation of Australia has made important strides in acknowledging and taking some steps towards rectifying this imposed tragedy during the last 50 years, and particularly the last 30 odd. There is still a long way to go.
Australia
The concept of a federation of the (British) colonies of Australia emerged in the mid nineteenth century (~ 1850), though the idea faded for a few decades. It was during the 1880's that the idea re-emerged. The first form of cooperative governing among the colonies was the Federal Council of Australasia.
To quote Wikipedia:
The final (and successful) push for a Federal Council came at an Intercolonial Convention in Sydney in November and December 1883. The trigger was the British rejection of Queensland's unilateral annexation of New Guinea and the British Government wish to see a federalised Australasia. The convention was called to debate the strategies needed to counter the activities of the German and French in New Guinea and in [the] New Hebrides. Sir Samuel Griffith, the Premier of Queensland, drafted a bill to constitute the Federal Council. The conference successfully petitioned the Imperial Parliament to enact the bill as the Federal Council of Australasia Act 1885.
As a result, a Federal Council of Australasia was formed, to represent the affairs of the colonies in their relations with the South Pacific islands. New South Wales and New Zealand did not join. The self-governing colonies of Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria, as well as the Crown Colonies of Western Australia and Fiji, became involved. South Australia was briefly a member between 1888 and 1890. The Federal Council had powers to legislate directly upon certain matters, and did so to effect the mutual recognition of naturalisations by colonies, to regulate labour standards in the employment of Pacific Island labour in fisheries, and to enable a legal suit to be "served" outside the colony in which it was issued, "a power valuable in matters ranging from absconding debtors to divorce proceedings". But the Council did not have a permanent secretariat, executive powers, or any revenue of its own. Furthermore, the absence of the powerful colony of New South Wales weakened its representative value.
Not being a historian, I am unable to synthesize the greater picture of what was happening globally. A few decades earlier the British and French engaged in the second Opium War in China. During this same period the steam train is developed and tracks are being built throughout Europe and in selected colonies to increase mineral extraction. In Australia the Gold Rushes overlap the entire period from 1851 to well into the 20th century. Between 1851 and 1871 the population of Australia tripled. The influx of wealth lead to the construction of some of Australia's leading "old" architecture known later as the "Federation Style".
With this growing population and new wealth support for a Federation was partially inspired by similar processes in the United States and Canada. Indeed, first the Canadian and then the USA constitutions served as conceptual templates for an Australian constitution at the Australasian Federal Conference of 1890.
In May 1890, Andrew Inglis Clark traveled to London to conduct an appeal on behalf of the Government of Tasmania before the Privy Council. During this trip, he began writing a draft constitution, taking the main provisions of the British North America Act, 1867 and its supplements up through 1890, the US Constitution, the Federal Council of Australasia Act, and various Australian colonial constitutions. Clark returned from London by way of Boston, Massachusetts, where he held discussions about his draft with Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., and Moncure Conway among others.
Two referenda were eventually held on federalization under the latest version of the draft constitution, first in 1898 and then between 1899 and 1900. The colony of New South Wales had to be drawn kicking and screaming towards sufficient votes (a majority was achieved, but sufficient number of participating voters was lacking). Adjustments were made to the constitution to convince NSW and Queensland to join with the extremely strong federal feeling in Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia. Including the votes from Western Australia which was taken “after the fact” the vote tally was in percentage of votes for: Tasmania 94.4, Victoria 93.96, South Australia 79.46, Western Australia 69.47, and the self import states of New South Wales 56.49 and Queensland 55.39.
The upshot of the final referendum was the submission of The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 to the British parliament. It was passed on July 5th 1900 and signed by Queen Victoria (the first) a few days later in the 9th. The lawful Act was proclaimed on 1 January 1901 in Centennial Park, Sydney. Sir Edmund Barton was sworn in as the interim Prime Minister (i.e he served unelected in the role until the first national vote was held). Australia as an independent nation was born.
What level of independence did Australia achieve? Well quite a lot actually. Australia's cultural and financial allegiance was still to the British Empire and its head of state remains to this day the British monarch represented locally by the Governor General. This role is meant to be largely ceremonial as may be argued is the case in the UK for the monarch. The role does come with quite some power as was seen when very popular Prime Minister Whitlam was removed from power by the Governor General in 1975.
Australia's foreign policy, political, military, and financial was heavily influenced by Britain. Its domestic policy would have been to some degree too. But, Australia had developed some of its own political language and methodology. Resistance to overarching government interference is native to white Australians.
One of the nation's most colourful and revered characters is Ned Kelly who was essentially a local Robin Hood who robbed the rich in stage coaches or directly from banks with some of these ill-gotten gains used to support the poor. Before being hanged to death in Victoria he uttered one of most well known political and philosophical statements to Australians:
Such is life.
This period of Bushrangers occurred largely in the interim between the first ideas of Federation and its later revival which, as mentioned, overlapped with the gold rushes. This period also saw the formation of militant unions against government interference which would emerge as a strong labour movement.
Australia invented the secret ballot (also known as the Australian Ballot) which is universally used in every election you can think of from a local union meeting to the largest of all democratic elections, those of modern India. The clever people of Europe and North America couldn’t work this out. But the rambunctious Australians invented it out of necessity and gifted it to the rest of the planet.
[Image: The Australian War Memorial in Canberra.]
ANZAC
ANZAC is the acronym for the Australia New Zealand Army Corps which was formed during WWI to fight with Britain and allies. The British military and political leadership and aristocracy referred to the ANZACs and other forces from their colonies, for example those from India, disparagingly as "Colonials".
Another force using the same term, ANZAC, was used during WWII as again Australians and Kiwis (as Australians affectionately refer to their cousing across the Tasman Sea, New Zealanders) both white and native again fought beside British and allied soldiers.
ANZAC is often pluralized to ANZACs to refers to the men and women who were members of the Corps. Each year on April 25th, Australia remembers the bravery of these ANZACs, be they soldiers, nurses, pilots, mariners, engineers or fulfilled other roles for the Corps.
The major legend for the ANZACs is the suicidal assault on the Dardanelles at Gallipoli as conceived by a young Winston Churchill during WWI. This could be described as Australia's founding myth or moment. Australia's natural siding with the underdog, or the "little Aussie battler" is an outgrowth of both this legend and the labour movement and the nature of the constitution which assigns limited rights to the federal government while retaining many for the states.
There is nothing mythical about what happened at Gallipoli. Australians and New Zealanders were sent like lambs to the slaughter. The event was beautifully captured by Fred Weir's 1981 film "Gallipoli" which stars a very young Mel Gibson and is suffused with a haunting and beautiful sound track. Sadly not many Australians know of the hero of Gallipoli, Australian Lieutenant Colonel Charles Brudenell White. He planned the withdrawal from Gallipoli and managed to extract all troops and horses without loss of life. It is an incredible story of clever ruses and logistics.
Meanwhile many more ANZACs were dying on the sodden and poisoned fields of Europe, whose sacrifice is sadly not so commonly remembered. Indeed, many ANZACs who were saved by Lt. Col. White were then redrafted and shipped of to Europe to die in the European theatre of the war to end all wars.
During WWII Australia and the ANZACs played many an important role given the small stature of the nation, just over 40 years old at the time. Australian intelligence played an key part in providing the USA with important information for the battle of the Coral Sea, which may be seen as a draw but did cause important loses for the Imperial Japanese Navy, and thwarted their attempt to take Papua New Guinea. Another important event was the Kokoda Trail, again in Papua, where Australian troops again prevented a successful capture of the island by Japanese forces. Australian Lt. General Leslie Morshead's defence of Tobruk against repeated attacks by "Desert Fox" Rommel is a far too little known or appreciated contribution by ANZACs (“the rats of Tobruk”) in collaboration with British Anti-Aircraft gunners (the “Ack-Ack”) to the North African campaign. Indeed, the British navy performed repeated incredibly brave re-supply missions to Tobruk down “bomb alley”.
The People
I have two grandfather's who fought in WWII, one a bombardier in the exact Lancaster bomber which is kept in the Australian War Museum and the other who was captured by Japan during the fall of Singapore and survived working on the Burma railway.
It is easy to take that which we now know and see these members of the ANZAC Corps in these wars as pawns of their imperial masters. I view this position as both dishonest and disrespectful. It is dishonest for we are projecting back in time knowledge we have now onto those men and women. That lesson should serve us now, and be applied to the current Australian and New Zealand military who know this. It is disrespectful for it sweeps away the commitment shown by the ANZACs in their time.
The ANZACs earned a reputation of being tough, brave and resourceful, if not also a bit larrikin. British officers may have disliked the larrikism, but the ANZACs were respected by the British rank and file beside whom they fought. Indeed, during WWII especially in the North Africa campaign German military leaders were forced to pay the ANZACs and their military command respect.
The ANZACs fought for their country and its part in the British Commonwealth. They believed in the cause. They fought bravely with their allies.
Aussie and Kiwi soldiers also fought alongside their newer ally, the USA, during the failed war in Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, two New Zealand infantry companies were attached to the 2nd, 4th, and 6th Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment. They were designated 2RAR/NZ (ANZAC), 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC), and 6RAR/NZ (ANZAC). Their suffering is sadly largely ignored by modern Australia for many reasons, including a large anti-war sentiment which existed in Australia during the Vietnam war.
Today is ANZAC day.
I remember the determination and courage of these men and women of Australian and New Zealand. Among the dominantly white colonial forces were many native Australians, blackfellas, who fought bravely beside their compatriots. The same is true for New Zealand Maori.
Today we honor them all.
Sources
Ned Kelly information sheet, State Library of Victoria
Eight-hour day, an part of the Defining Moments servies, National Museum of Australia
Australia’s part in the international struggle for workers rights.
Whitlam dismissal, an part of the Defining Moments servies, National Museum of Australia
ANZAC acronym, Australian War Memorial
Remembering Australia’s War in Vietnam, 1962–72, ANZAC Memorial Hyde Park Sydney, no date of publication but associated with an exhibition from 2022-03-31 to 2023-02-28
On Anzac Day, I honour the story of my uncle, a Wiradjuri warrior killed in a war he was never meant to fight, Stan Grant, ABC, 2023-04-22
Anzac Day 2023 live: Veterans, public assemble for services across New Zealand, staff, NZ Herald, 2023-04-24
A nation remembers: Thousands attend Anzac Day services across NZ, Finlay Dunseath, Stuff(.co.nz), 2023-04-25
A collection of Wikipedia articles:
Ned Kelly (use the State Library of Victoria page above instead)
Culture
Khe Sanh (2011 Remastered), Cold Chisel, their (or their distributor's) youtube channel, uploaded 2018-07-24
The Band Played Waltzing Matilda, The Pogues (the song was written by Scottish born Australian Eric Bogle), their youtube channel, uploaded 2014-11-26
Official One Last Ride Music Video - Haystack Mountain Hermits - The Horses Stay Behind, Haystack Mountain Hermits, uploaded (Premiered) 2023-04-23
Notification
Subscription is optional. Subscribers can expect notifications for most articles. Better is to use RSS (feed), or bookmark the Archive page and visit at leisure. If you use Twitter, following @YesXorNo1 is also a partially effective notifications strategy. A reliable notification mechanism is the use of Substack’s Notes facility.
Copyright and Licensing
This work is copyright to the blog's author with CC BY-SA 4.0 licensing. Have fun, reuse, remix etc. but give credit and place no further restrictions. Let’s build culture.
Comments: on topic, no abuse.
So sad what has happened to the both countries. Destroyed by communist Liberals and labour.