National Film and Sound Archive - Australians in the First World War

National Film and Sound Archive > The Collection > Collection Spotlights

Introduction

The Gallipoli Campaign

The Western Front

The Turning Tide

The Final Days

Other Material

The following digital spotlight provides information and digital content relating to Australia's contribution to the First World War (1914-1918) and the impact that the war had on the country's film and recorded sound industry during this period. Further information about the digital content can be found by clicking the item's Online Catalogue (OLC) number.

Image: Images of World War One The track to Wethoek, Ypres, 1917. NFSA: 349943 Audio: Listen to Some Hearts Will Be Joyful, 1915. NFSA: 177553	In March 1918 the German army launch a major offensive on the Western Front. Their aim is to obtain a decisive victory before the Uniited States fully mobilises its military support.
Image: Images of World War One. Command post at the Western Front, 1917. NFSA: 348706 Audio: Listen to We're coming home, c1918. NFSA: 230089	The Allies respond by winning cruical victories at Marne, Amiens, and the Hindenburg Line. In the Middle East the AIF mounted division, who had been fighting Turkish troops since 1916, occupy Lebanon and Syria. The mounted division's casualties are comparatively light, with 1,394 troops killed or injured in the Middle Eastern campaigns.
Image: The Enemy Within, 1918. Snowy Baker takes on a gang of saboteurs intent on causing civil mahem NFSA: 354504	Back home, patriotic feature films such as His Only Chance and What Happened to Jean are still produced. Hoever, other films such as The Enemy Within are promoted to an increasingly war weary public as 'Not a war picture'⁹.
On 30/10/1918 Turkey sues for Peace. Less than two weeks later Germany surrenders. The First World War officially ends at 11am on November 11, 1918. The Versailles peace treaty of 1919 imposes such harsh terms on the German population that Adolf Hitler will use it 20 years later to inflame his supporters to launch a second world war.
Image: Images of World War One. Bomb crater in a town on the Western Front. Date unknown. NFSA: 348548 Audio: It's a Long Long Way to Tipperary, c1914 NFSA: 534856	Image: Images of World War One. Omnibus busses Transporting Troops on the Western Front, c1917 NFSA: 348821 Audio: When the War is Over, Maggie, c1915 NFSA: 181824

Information relating to the Archive's complete holdings on the First World War can be found by searching the Archive's Seach the Collection. Simply click on the link and search for First World War in the Easy Search screen.

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