Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Photographs
- Maps
- Tables and figures
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- British military ranks
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 In the beginning
- Chapter 2 Organising for battle
- Chapter 3 Sinews of war
- Chapter 4 Already half a soldier
- Chapter 5 Into battle
- Chapter 6 Learning the hard way
- Chapter 7 Hitting the peak
- Chapter 8 The year of victory
- Conclusion
- Appendix 1 Divisional activities
- Appendix 2 Activity and location summaries
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
Chapter 4 - Already half a soldier
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2013
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Photographs
- Maps
- Tables and figures
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- British military ranks
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 In the beginning
- Chapter 2 Organising for battle
- Chapter 3 Sinews of war
- Chapter 4 Already half a soldier
- Chapter 5 Into battle
- Chapter 6 Learning the hard way
- Chapter 7 Hitting the peak
- Chapter 8 The year of victory
- Conclusion
- Appendix 1 Divisional activities
- Appendix 2 Activity and location summaries
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The Australian digger established an enviable reputation as a fighter during the Great War and, at least according to Charles Bean, he was already half a soldier even before donning a uniform. This popularly held opinion has been buttressed by the claims of veterans such as the Victorian country lad who observed: ‘Seeing I was brought up in Stawell, I could run…I was a farmer and so I could shoot and because we had no bulldozers then we could make holes and excavate. If you could run, shoot and dig a hole you've got the makings of a good soldier.’ This received wisdom has been generally accepted by popular historians, and the role of training remains one of the great voids in AIF history.
While it is true that early twentieth-century rural life was a tougher existence than that of today's average city-dweller, and many features of that life undoubtedly helped to transition civilians to military life, this did not necessarily make them soldiers. Aside from the fact that most volunteers came from urban backgrounds, the same veteran quoted above also admitted that he and his mates did not receive enough training before Gallipoli. So where does the truth lie: were the division's men naturals requiring little preparation, or did they require substantial training so that they could function under the stress of battle?
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- To Win the BattleThe 1st Australian Division in the Great War 1914–1918, pp. 84 - 108Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2012