Read a story about an Australian Division lining some road when the King and Douglas Haig drove through the area, followed by a string of staff officers. The king got a mild round of applause. When some french farmer appeared at the rear of the column riding a donkey and pulling a cart, everyone went freaking nuts and cheered him on.
I would not be surprised! You have to love the Aussies! Wonderful people and magnificent soldiers! I had the pleasure to live in Australia for 10 years, the best years of my life!
That's him at 1:57. I saw Vincent Ball on stage in Sydney in 1978 as Capulet in a production of Romeo and Juliet, which he also produced. (We were doing R&J at school that year.) One of many talented Aussie actors who went to England in the 50s because there was nothing for them back home, until the resurgence of the Australian film and TV industry in the 70s when they started to come back - prominent ones including Ed Devereaux (Skippy), Ray Barrett (Thunderbirds, The Troubleshooters), Charles 'Bud' Tingwell (Emergency - Ward 10, Catweazle), Keith Michell (The Six Wives of Henry VIII), Leo McKern (Rumpole of the Bailey) and Robert Helpmann (The Red Shoes). EDIT: And I think that might be Nick Tate (Space 1999, later a leading voiceover artist in the US) on the right at 2:35.
Laughing with him...he's not a Pommie staff officer, just another PBI (poor bloody infantry). The Aussies would laugh AT the British staff officers, if they weren't cursing them.
Australian diggers thought pommie officers were all idiots. My grandfather was in the first AIF, there was a joke the diggers had. A British officer rode past a group of diggers, when one Australian said "look at the so and so on the horse". When the officer heard it he said "Oh I thought I was riding a mare not a gelding!"
@@gioojisba2758 will say it as an Aussie would say it. might get it. British officer is riding by, an Aussie says "look at that c*nt on that horse" officer "Oh I thought I was riding a mare not a gelding!". male horse, not a female.
Don’t mess with people who come from a land of crocodiles, poisonous spiders, snakes, belly slashing kangaroos and brutal weather. God bless Australia 🇦🇺 from Canada 🇨🇦
The Aussie soldier is played by Vincent Ball. He is 99 years old and still around, played a mechanic in " A Town like Alice". He also saw action in WW2 as an air gunner in the RAAF.
I have realized how inaccurate and very narrow this films view of the first world war really was as I have never heard of a world war that was only fought in Europe. plus there is no portrayal of black and brown commonwealth soldiers or any scenes show different parts of the world. Richard Attenbourgh films come across as very disingenuous and that includes Gandhi. Gallipoli was the scenario that really hack off the ANZACS as the way they were perceived to be treated was seen by them as a betrayal of the British Empire. REBOOT me thinks.
harvestcanada This was following only a scant few from the Western front. Colored troops did not have that much of a role in the combat, as much as it pains anyone to hear this day and age. Many were either fighting in the hotter climates or just relegated to behind the lines duty. It's just how it was.
When deadly wildfires swept across California in 2018, New Zealand and Australia sent more than 130 firefighters to help control the blaze. Now, for the first time since 2010, American firefighters are providing the same lifesaving assistance to Australia. I’d have to check but I think there is an agreement to help each other during fires, and of course other things I guess. We also have the Canadians and New Zealand fireies helping us out, and boy are we so very very grateful indeed. Saw a video when the American fireies arrived in Australia, Aussies at the airport were applauding them at the airport ❤️
I love the bit where they call it wipers. I just find it so funny. Ypres would probably make sense to some draftee who can't read too well, let alone knows how to read French. Eep
One staff officer jumped right over another staff officer's back, And another staff officer jumped right over that other staff officers' back A third staff officer jumped right over the two staff officers' backs, And a fourth staff officer jumped right over all the other staff officers' backs. They were only playing leap-frog, They were only playing leap-frog, They were only playing leap-frog, When one staff officer jumped right over The other staff officer's back.
I've heard from US Vietnam veterans that the Australian controlled areas were some of the quietest sectors as from experiences in Burma the Australians were absolutely lethal bush fighters.
No amount of Australians in Burma in notable size, I'm sure you mean New Guinea. Also I wouldn't call Long Tan a quiet sector, around 2,500 Viet cong to 108 Aussies.
What is wrong with me? I am breaking out with a tremendous amount of pride for these guys and this film portraying the tragedy of WW1 in a really tuneful format!? both my own guys the British! but in equal measure the beautiful Aussie's!!!
@@railbaron1 and also Glory glory what the hell of way to die Glory glory what the hell of way to die Glory glory what the hell of way to die And he ain't gonna jump no more
"Ah yes, what's that? You advanced all the way to the enemy communication trenches? Didn't you hear, the attack was postponed until tomorrow. Now abandon the captured ground, head back to your trenches and wait for tomorrow, that's an order!"
A fucking awful movie, based on a truly lousy book and produced by a duplicitous Marxist bitch (Joan Littlewood, in case you're wondering). This appalling film is largely responsible for abysmal understanding of WW1 held by most people in the UK today, and in Australia to by the sound of it. If you think this is history then you need your head examined.
To all those men and women who have fought and worked for the armed services of my country. Thankyou for you service. You will always have my respect and loyalty. You did it while still showing the world how to have a laugh. Raise a glass🍺 cheers.
Funny to note, despite the bad press and (regrettably true) rather backwards mentality of Field Marshal Haig and his staff officers, British FIELD officers suffered the highest fatality rate compared to other nations, and their mortality rate was comparable to even that of the enlisted Tommy.
Too true, Aussies suffered one of the highest loss rates per Capita of any country during WWI. British offers often led from the front and suffered horrendous losses... it was expected they show no lack of moral fibre. Australians were no more or less courageous than their allies, but had a somewhat jaundiced view of inept authority and were not used to the system of class as was prevalent in British society. BLESS EM ALL.
At the start of the war when generals fought with their men the casualty rate for generals could be upto 97%. No army could afford that much knowledge and experience to be lost so it was quite obviously necessary to ban them from the front lines. This also made it impossible for Trench raiders to capture a general,with the resultant intelligence gained by the enemy.
Somehow I think if a bunch of soldiers tried this during a Field Marshal's inspection in real life they'd all be scrubbing toilets for the next decade.
Actually - its not that far from the truth, the Diggers had very little regard for British Officers during the war, especially Staff Officers. My favourite story is an Australian sentry getting chewed out by a British Officer who told him to stand at attention while he was talking to him. The Digger replied 'Sure mate, can you hold my pie?' and handed him his pie so he could stand at attention!
I read that Haigs family tried to get this movie stopped due to the way he was portrayed.....but really, you would think after losing tens of thousands of troops any sane person would change tactics. My family lost a few men, most buried "somewhere in France "
"and since the 1980s many historians have argued that the public hatred with which Haig's name had come to be associated failed to recognise the adoption of new tactics and technologies by forces under his command, the important role played by British forces in the allied victory of 1918, and that high casualties were a consequence of the tactical and strategic realities of the time.[4][5][6][11][12][13]" I mean Haig was just hated for being the guy who gave the order in my opnion. And the somme was a success in the end, it took away german troops from verdun.
Yes, and if I remember rightly Richard Attenborough said that they failed because the information about Haig (including the idiotic comments he made) were taken from Haig's personal diaries, so they didn't have a case.
Most of those boys will become casualties, many will become injured 🤕 many worse down will lose a log or arm maybe a eye. All good proud boys helping to liberate France 🇫🇷 , a salute for them and all Australian 🇦🇺
Something I just noticed, the NCO who musters the troops in the beginning is the photographer who I think is meant to represent death….. I don’t fancy those reinforcements’ chances
@@Kelvostrass Is it though? Yet to see a war last forever...the natural state of things seem to be conflict. I see it out my window everyday, prey and predators, insects/ ants/ Bees and wasps making mass war, plants and fighting for position, bacteria, viruses, parasites. Life seems to be a battle, Peace seems to be an unnatural human construct it simply doesn't exist in nature. More people died of the natural Spanish Flu in 1919 after World War 1 than in World War 1...So the man made phenomenon paled into insignificance vs a naturally occurring disease.
Dutch (Before it was Belgium): Ypres Brit Farmboy Conscript: _"Wipers"_ The volunteers and originals: Close enough _(I've been watching the entirety of the ANZACS miniseries I forgot how to meme)_
It wasn’t just the British,Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, North Africa and soldiers from the British empire. It was the French that bore the brunt of the Great War.
What you missing was back before 1940 was entertaining was done by singing and there was no real radio or television. So communication was by familiar songs anyone could join in. This film came from the musical hall entertainment and so this film represents its origins.
As a fourteen year old, I took my first salute from the cast, supposedly for finding the uniforms. It was only when I was actually doing a Staff Officers' job forty years later that I realised there was a message going the other way, then as now, it's the young who die.
Yes. The song is meant to be a commentary by foot soldiers about HQ officers more interested in playing staff politics and advancement than worrying about the guys in the trenches. Having the Australians deliver it as British staff filed by fits their national character, and they'd be less likely to face disciplinary action since they were allies, but only indirectly under those officers in the chain of command.
tagryn Also, remembering that the Australian Digger of WW1 found the strict British military hierarchy and class structure extremely comical and went out of their way to 'take the mickey' out of it wherever and whenever possible.
David Read We wouldn't have said "mickey", but. tagryn We were under the command of the Brits, for the most part - not just allies. Still subject to the same discipline; any insubordination would be more likely to be put down by the Brits as being the behaviour of simple colonials :). We did get our own commander, eventually, John Monash, who was, by many accounts, the greatest commander of WWI, and it could rightfully be said he invent combined arms modern warfare.
It's an actual song the ANZACs sung, along with "Mademoiselle From Armentières", though they changed the lyrics for that one a bit. It's occasionally sung on Mess Night in a few regiments. It's about a prostitute giving out free grog iirc.
I was astonished to hear of the horrendous lack of supplies available to the Allies in the early days and months of WW1. Heavy guns in some sectors were reduced to four or five rounds a day in 1914-1915. The French and British had something like 400 heavy guns to the 3,000 medium and heavy of the German army. The allies were almost totally unprepared for the Germans and their industrial might.
It was due to doctrine of favoring light gun over heavy gun of Spirit of offense of the french and bef Favor to maneuver warfare with cavalry that cost them heavy Casualty during the early war of 1914 and 1915 but they adapt and change through 1916 and 1917 with new technology And doctrine, in 1918 the british Launch the offensive to win a war that start with cavalry and end with combine arms Warfare
That's not true...how could an entire peoples have a total disregard for those under their command, the one's they fought and died with. Yes, the higher ups were ignorant of the plights of the common solider, but then no one had fought a war like WW1 before. And even then, there are countless examples of officers going above and beyond for their own troops. I'm not saying there weren't bad officers, but I am saying that stating that the British 'had a total disregard for life' is wrong. This is a well over due comment, I know, but still. Needs to be said.
Aha! The fact the British forces had the lowest casualty rate of any other major allied power who fought the majority of the War says a lot.... And also how the highest proportion of casualties amongst British Army was by fair Junior officers. Yes men of a higher class lead the army but remember it was there sons and nephews in the fray. The first world war partly caused so much social change after it due to how every different group in society mixed and ultimately fought and died together.
Look at the evolution of tactics during the war, it tells of anything but the disregard of human lives. When the war progressed the higher ups were always trying to come up with new ideas of how to get as much progress as possible without losing a regiment or two. War isn't won by killing your men
Then your history teacher is a fraud, tell him to teach you some facts instead of this tripe. You might try getting hold of a copy of Gordon Corrigan's excellent book, "Mud, Blood and Poppycock" , which in my opinion should be required reading for anyone beginning to study WW1. You'll look at this garbage with new eyes after reading it.
I saw this film as a kid and always wanted to see it again. Then, many years later I finally got to see it. I thought it was rubbish. What did I see as a kid that I didn't see as an adult?
I mean what other freaking nation has people that walk up to a kangaroo in their back yard and just punches it???? Love Aussies man. Really want to visit before I die...or before shits kicks off over there with China lol.
“John Brown’s Body” and its more successful offspring “Battle Hymn of the Republic” have had a lot of remakes with the same melody, including this one. There’s “blood upon the risers”, “Up went Nelson in old Dublin”, “Karl XII han har hundratusen man”, “Engineer Drinking Song” and probably a lot more marching/drinking/scout songs with that melody around the world.
I was like "hm this scene seems similar to "all quiet on the western front" and then they started to sing and jump around. I definitely have to watch this movie.
The Aussies have always been tough buggers, for example Field Marshall Bill Slim said after WW2- "Of all the Allies, it was the Australians who first broke the invincibility of the Japanese army"....:)
Yeah the Aussies strutted their stuff everywhere..:) ......Slim quote in full-"Australian troops had, at Milne Bay, inflicted on the Japanese their first undoubted defeat on land. Some of us may forget that, of all the allies, it was the Australians who first broke the invincibility of the Japanese army." www.azquotes.com/author/19619-William_Slim_1st_Viscount_Slim
My mothers grandfather was there at Estrees and Villers-Bretonneux and aaround the area for four years, earned a Military Medal, stretcher bearer 56th Battalion AIF, made it through, returned to Aussie and became a big drinker, held a job down, but basically a functioning alcoholic after this, Reginald Frances McCRORY. RIP. Christ knows what he saw.
My Great Great uncle was killed at Bullecourt in WWI and had only been in Europe for a month. My Great Uncle fought at in North Africa and was at Toburk. Not sure if he fought in New Guinea. Funnily enough my Great Grandmother's maiden name was McCrory....
!y maternal grandfather was in the ,2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, fought in the Balkans then the trenches in France. MM and was. mentioned in despatches, never saw his 50th birthday,died as a result of his wounds!! Well done grandad , just like all British soldiers ,cannon fodder!? Damnation to politicians! Blood on their murky hands!