Art from the Heart.

At the risk of being seen as out of step with mainstream thought in Australia, I have to tell my reader that I do not share the belief that various military undertakings by Australian forces during the so-called War to end all Wars were central to the building of our reputation as a nation state. To the contrary, I think the enormous casualties attributable to that un-holy conflagration served to set back our nation-building efforts for almost two decades due to the cavalier waste of human resources in a conflict that had absolutely nothing to do with antipodeans (i.e. Australia and New Zealand) other than as outposts of European Empires fighting among themselves... and ALL destined to be defunct within 50 years of the 'Great War' anyway!

The only sentiment I share with mainstream 'opinion' is astonishment at the bravery of those adventurous young men who were slaughtered at the alter of crass imperialism. The war had absolutely nothing to do with 'freedom' as we accept the meaning of that word today. It had everything to do with greed for power, xenophobia and elitism. The treatment of troops in the field by  military and political leaders of the day was nothing shy of barbaric and most would've been charged with war-crimes if judged by the legal imperatives of today.

Circa mid-1950s I was moved to make a pencil sketch of a scene which might illustrate my attitude to WW1 in the face of ANZAC Day 'celebrations' of military prowess which I find mis-placed. I can't remember doing any research preparatory to the sketch... thus I consider it is more a product of heart rather than mind alone. It speaks to me of humanity, which I believe would not have been lost by ordinary combatants despite the horror they found themselves facing day after day.