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AWM Remember Me Education EDUCATION KIT Remember me: the lost diggers of Vignacourt 1 REMEMBER ME: INTRODUCTION THE LOST DIGGERS OF VIGNACOURT During the First World War, the small French town of Vignacourt This education kit is designed for primary was always behind the allied front and secondary students, to be used either lines. It was used as a staging as a stand-alone classroom activity or in point, casualty clearing station conjunction with a visit to the exhibition. and recreation area for the troops It is designed to support the Australian moving to and from the battlefields curriculum: History, particularly for stages on the Somme. For them, it became 5, 6, 9 and 10. Primary activities require a home away from home. students to interpret sources from the Australian War Memorial’s collection, In February 2011, over 3,000 glass-plate and the “looking deeper” sections ask photographic negatives were discovered students to do further research and in the attic of a farmhouse in Vignacourt. consider the themes of the exhibition They are informal photographs, taken more deeply and creatively. by French couple Louis and Antoinette Thuillier, of allied soldiers, many of them Australian, during their time in Vignacourt. Remember me: the lost diggers of Vignacourt tells the lost stories of these Australian men on the Western Front. A soldier wandering through a street in Vignacourt, 1919. AWM E05280 Remember me: the lost diggers of Vignacourt 2 Private Carl James Dettmann, 1st Australian Cyclist Corps, AIF Private Carl James Dettmann was a blacksmith from Victoria. Classroom activities He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in August When the AIF first embarked for the war in 1914, the only 1914 at the age of 19, and was assigned to the 4th Light badge any of the soldiers wore was the Australian “rising sun” Horse Regiment. During his first few months in the army he emblem, worn on the jacket collar and hat. was hospitalised on several occasions with deafness and scarlet fever. In 1916 Carl gave up his horse, as he was transferred to 1. Why do you think units used colour patches? the 1st Australian Cyclist Corps. The AIF had various cycling units with similar names that were used in major battles of the First 2. Do some research on First World War colour patches. World War. Their duties included cable burying, traffic control, and Why do you think soldiers wore them on their uniforms? reconnaissance work, but they were also deployed to the front line. 3. The colours on these colour patches are symbolic of the spirit While with the Cyclist Corps, Carl wore the red-and-white colour of the men. Using the following as a guide, describe the spirit patch. This patch was worn by the 1st Australian Divisional Cyclist of the men of the Cyclist Corps. Company in 1916, 1 ANZAC Corps Cyclist Battalion, from July Yellow – for honour, which must never be in question 1916 to 1918, and by the Australian Corps Cyclist Battalion from White – for innocence and truth 1918 to 1919. Black – for wisdom and sobriety Blue – for faith and constancy Carl remained with the Cyclist Corps until he returned to Australia Red – for justice in October 1918. He was among the Australians photographed Green – for hope by the Thuilliers while he was in Vignacourt. Purple – for fortitude and discretion Tawny – for merit 4. Using this guide, draw a colour patch that you would like to be associated with. The men of the cycling units played a significant part in the war. 5. What are some advantages and disadvantages of using a bicycle rather than a horse for transportation? Australian Cyclist Corps. Broadmeadows, 6. In photographs from the First World War, it can be difficult Victoria, 1915. AWM DAOD0139 to determine what unit a soldier served with, even if the colour patch can be seen. Why do you think this is? Looking deeper Read the article, “The bicycle in warfare”, on the Australian War Memorial’s website: http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2011/03/23/the- Corps Cyclist Battalion. On the right bicycle-in-warfare/ Then complete the following activities: is Private Carl James Dettmann. 1. Considering the sort of people the soldiers were, and the AWM P10550.160 Courtesy Kerry Stokes Collection, jobs they did, write a poem that reflects the service of The Louis and Antoinette Australians in the Cyclist Corps during the First World War. Thuillier Collection. 2. Set up a debate, with one side arguing the advantages Colour patch worn by cyclists. of using bicycles in wartime, and the other discussing the AWM RELAWM13307.031 disadvantages. Private Jack Bambury and Private Herbert Davis. The colour patch is visible on their shoulders. AWM P01802.001 An Australian transport horse after a fall on a frozen road. AWM E00132 Remember me: the lost diggers of Vignacourt 3 Private Wilfred Borthwick, 5th Australian Machine Gun Battalion, AIF Private Wilfred James Borthwick was a butcher from South Classroom activities (cont’d) Australia. At the age of 31 he decided to enlist in the AIF, as he The photograph below was taken by Louis and Antoinette Thuillier. needed to support his widowed mother, Emily. Wilfred enlisted on 22 February 1916, and was assigned to the reinforcements 1. How many of the soldiers are wearing bracelets? of the 8th Machine Gun Company, which was later to become part of the 5th Machine Gun Battalion. 2. Why would Wilfred and the soldiers in this photograph have wanted to make and wear bracelets in the shape of Australia? He underwent training in England before serving on the Western Front in France. During his time there he became ill, 3. Some of the soldiers seem to be purposely showing their and spent more than a month in hospital before re-joining his bracelets. Why would they be doing this? unit. On 11 November 1918, when the Armistice was declared, 4. The backs of these photographs were printed to look like Wilfred was on leave in England. He returned to South Australia a postcard. What would the soldiers have done with these on 18 August 1919. photographs? 5. There is an Indian rupee attached to Wilfred’s identity bracelet. Classroom activities He did not travel to India during the war, but he may have had contact with men from there. All Australian soldiers during the First World War had identity discs like the ones pictured below. Each soldier had a pair of a. Research India’s role in the First World War. discs, and in the event that he lost his life during a battle, the b. How do you think Wilfred got the rupee? green one would remain with him as identification, while the 6. Research how Australian army identity discs have changed red one would be taken to headquarters as a record of what since the First World War. had happened to him. 7. The First World War ended on 11 November 1918 with 1. What sort of information would need to be stamped the signing of the Armistice. Why do you think that Australian on these discs? Why? soldiers, such as Wilfred, often didn’t return home until Wilfred’s identity bracelet in the shape of Australia was a year later? not his official AIF identification, but a personal possession. Wilfred was not the only Australian soldier passing through Vignacourt to have thought of having one. Unidentified members of the 2nd Division. Several of the soldiers are wearing identity bracelets in the shape of Australia. AWM P10550.051 Identity bracelet belonging to Private Pair of identity discs belonging to Courtesy Kerry Stokes Collection, The Louis and Antoinette Thuillier Collection. Wilfred Borthwick, 5th Australian Machine Corporal Francis Burchill, 9th Battalion. Looking deeper Gun Battalion, AIF. It is engraved with his AWM REL28910 details: “No. 502 Pte W J Borthwick 5th 1. Research Vignacourt and the role it played for Australian Aust M G Battn France AIF”. AWM REL34757 soldiers during the First World War. What is its significance in Australia’s military history? 2. Australian soldiers during the First World War liked to remind themselves of home. Draw some examples of what they might do, or have with them, as reminders of home. 3. At the time of the Armistice, Wilfred was in England on leave. Imagine you are Wilfred, and write a detailed diary entry about what you did while on leave. Remember me: the lost diggers of Vignacourt 4 Joseph Maxwell VC, MC and Bar, DCM Joseph Maxwell was born in 1896 in Sydney, New South Wales. Classroom activities He worked as a boiler-maker’s apprentice before he enlisted in 1. Before the First World War, Joseph worked as a the AIF in February 1915. Maxwell joined the 18th Battalion, and boiler-maker’s apprentice. Research what he would remained with it throughout the war. He ended the war with the have been doing in this job. rank of lieutenant. 2. Joseph earned the Military Cross (second from the left Joseph’s first military decoration was the Distinguished Conduct in the photograph of his medals) and Bar. What does Medal, awarded for his actions in Belgium during September it mean to receive a bar for a medal? 1917. The following March he was awarded the Military Cross for outstanding leadership on a patrol, also in Belgium. In August, for 3. Joseph was awarded the Victoria Cross for fighting on taking command of his company during a heavy offensive, he was the Hindenburg Line. Do some research on the Hindenburg awarded the Military Cross again, which is shown as a bar on the Line and describe what it was, and the idea behind it.
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