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Gallipoli ArtPrize 2015

outside Back cover

Gallipoli ArtPrize 2015

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GallipoliArt

prize 2015

Foreword by John McDonaldit has been ten years since the first Gallipoli art Prize, ten years of building an art collection that reflects the creed of the Gallipoli Memorial club, with its values of “loyalty, respect, love of country, courage and comradeship.” over those years the club has acquired works by artists from australia, new Zealand and turkey, the three countries forever changed by the campaign of 1915.

although the anzac landing is recognised as a turning point in australia history the cultural ramifications of the event are still not widely understood. the anzacs cast a long shadow over 20th century australian history, first as heroes, then as the subject of angry, divisive debate. it is only in the past two decades that we have been able to reconcile the contradictions between the violence of war and the tragedy of the sacrifice.

it’s sad that one month out from the centenary of the Gallipoli landing we have lost the australian writer, alan seymour, whose play, the one day of the Year (1958), summed up the mixed feelings anzac day inspired in the 1960s. the vietnam War and the feminist movement spawned a series of protests against anzac day, which was viewed of a celebration of war and masculine aggression. the historian, Bill Gammage, recently told me that in the sixties, both he and his distinguished colleague, ken inglis, believed that anzac day was destined to disappear.

no-one could have predicted that fifty years later new generations of australians would treat the day with reverence; attendances at the dawn service would keep rising, and thousands of young people would make the pilgrimage to Gallipoli.

it is against this backdrop the Gallipoli art Prize was conceived. the aim has been to bring together an innovative group of works that preserve the best of the anzac tradition, without falling into the heroic clichés that accompany popular depictions of war. it has been gratifying to watch how artists have responded to the challenge, and this final year of the project is no exception.

We have awarded the 2015 prize to sally robinson’s Boy soldiers, a painting that captures the experience of standing in the lone Pine cemetery gazing at the rows of headstones. no-one who has visited this place can fail to be moved by the inscriptions which reveal the youth of the fallen soldiers. in robinson’s picture the words swim in hallucinogenic fashion across the canvas, as if the artist – and by extension, the viewer – is struggling to come to terms with this realisation.

Maryanne Wick is another artist who has visited Gallipoli, and her multi-panelled work, Greater love Hath no Man, tries to make sense of the way the site impresses itself upon us. We see a rugged, beautiful landscape – beaches, hills and blue skies, but cannot avoid the knowledge of the slaughter that took place on these shores. in Wick’s painting, which has been highly commended by the judges, the ghostly silhouettes of soldiers are intertwined with impressions of the landscape.

the other work highly commended this year is Martin tighe’s the Burden, a portrait of a donkey – an animal with tremendous symbolic value for the anzac campaign. the title is not simply a reference to the donkey itself, but to the burden taken on by the soldiers, and the burden of history in which we all share. that burden has not got any lighter over the years, but we have learned how to live with it in a way that does justice to the memory of the anzacs, and to our own evolving sense of national identity.

John Mcdonald(on behalf of the judges)

PaGe 1 of text

first PaGe You see

Our CreedWe Believe...

That within the community there exists an obligation

for all to preserve the special qualities of loyalty,

respect, love of country, courage and comradeship

which were personified by the heroes of the Gallipoli

Campaign and bequeathed to all humanity as a

foundation of perpetual peace and universal freedom.

Acknowledgements

the Gallipoli Memorial club wishes to acknowledge the wonderful

efforts so tirelessly given by the following people in contributing

towards another successful year of the Gallipoli art Prize.

JudGesJohn McdonaldJane WattersBarry Pearce

John robertson

PHotoGraPHY

sowerby smith

sPonsor

australian Government department of veterans’ affairs provided valuable financial assistance towards the publishing of this

and the canakkale art Prize catalogues.

for further information, please log onto www.gallipoli.com.au

the australian Government

catalogue supported by the australian Government department of veterans’ affairs

Contributing artistsalison Mackay fallen 2

Bruce Pussell lone Pine cemetery 3

chris antico Watch tower 4

christina rogers old soldiers all Have tired eyes 5

christine Healy side by side 6

damian cazaly killling time 7

david denneen 1915 to 2015 Memories 8

diana cole anzac day 2 9

elizabeth rankin ingleburn Portrait 10

fleur Macdonald architect of War and Peace 11

Geoff Harvey under foreign skies 12

Glen robert Preece the kangaroo March 13

Gregory alexander Memorial 14

Greg frawley cross for oswald and frank 15

Hadyn Wilson in Memorium 16

Janet leith a Postcard from france 17

John colet school lest We forget 18

Judith White the Passing; lost Youth 19

kate dorrough Bones of the land, the collective unconscious 20

kristin Hardiman We Will remember them 21

lee Porter the saddest farewell 22

lindsay spears a Parcel for christmas 23

Martin tighe HiGHlY coMMended the Burden 24

Maryanne Wick HiGHlY coMMended Greater love Hath no Man 25

Mertim Gokalp donald keys for the descendants Project 26

Merv appleton the field kitchen 27

Michelle Hungerford terra nullius 28

nyle Major all My Mates Got Were Wooden crosses 29

Peter smeeth lemnos Pieta 30

rosalie duligal Humble remains 31

rosalind Helyard they Have Become our sons 32

sally robinson Winner Boy soldiers 33

susan sutton out came the sherrin 34

terence Mahony serving their country 35

tony costa Murphy and kirkpatrick 36

vicki sullivan courage, camaraderie and consequence 37

Wilhelmus Breikers the Way 38

Zoe Panagiotopoulos Bertie 39

3

BRUCE PUSSELLlone Pine cemetery

Painting on Glass – Mixed Media41 x 30cm

this artwork submitted for the Gallipoli art Prize is a work of Mixed Media consisting of painting on glass then fired in a kiln to fix the image onto the glass.

the image was based on a photo i took when visiting the Gallipoli site in turkey. the image was built up with successive firings in the kiln to fix each colour and so gradually reveal the scene of the lone Pine cemetery at Gallipoli.

the very poignant image emphasised to me the tragic loss of some very young lives during that campaign and is a reminder of their sacrifice, bravery and love of country. the ideal of comradeship led these young men and boys (some as young as 14years) to lay down their lives for their country.

2

ALISON MACKAYfallen

Water Based on cardboarddyptich 74 x 74cm each

100 yeas on, how do we remember Gallipoli? as the real events fade beyond living recollection, do we become dependent on icons and symbols to evoke a time and place? the stories of battles fought, of bravery and mateship become our history. But behind the familiarity of this collective memory, how do we recall the ordinary individuals for whom this war was real life? the ones who lived and the many who fell. and how will we remember them in another 100 years?

5

CHRISTINA ROGERS“old soldiers all Have tired eyes” (Hemingway)

oil on canvas40.5 x 40.5cm

He remembers. Memory is a wound that will not close, so it still feels like now. there’s a knowing in his eyes that he must endure the danger, so that others don’t have to. He doubts his own bravery but hopes for courage. He can forget the thirst, the hunger, the exhaustion. What he must do is be willing to lose his life for his mates and not question their willingness to do the same. and they were. Home is a far off eden, he may never see again. the eyes of “the enemy” are the same as his. they see the same things.

4

CHRIS ANTICOWatch tower

Gouache on Wood24 x 30cm

“ …a man once climbed this hill so he could see his legacy unfold beneath him…”

Just an ordinary man, he didn’t want for much probably left home for a paying job and adventure.

not more than a kid when caught up in something bigger…the sirens beckoned him and his comrades to that shore now forever etched in our country’s psyche, Gallipoli.

cast a drift a life raft in a tumultuous sea; that first man reaches the summit and everyman thereafter all somehow lighthouse beacons shining …. full of both warning and hope, to those still to step foot on that fatal shore.

the battle for now ended, the man has time to survey but perhaps not understanding what is laid out before him and his nation.

7

DAMIAN CAZALYkilling time (extra on set of the television production ‘Gallipoli’)

acrylic on canvas172 x 65cm

Working as extras on the television series ‘Gallipoli’, we were charged with recreating pivotal moments of the Monumental campaign. immersed in a harsh landscape of dugouts, foxholes and snaking trenches, the experience stirred in me thoughts of the sacrifices, the intense emotions, and the physical pain those soldiers must have felt on any given day during those eight months in 1915.

the painting is a reflection of the moods felt in the trenches on set. it captures a moment of downtime; of waiting for the next order during a break in the shooting. a time to strengthen relationships: a moment where the weight of portraying a soldier at Gallipoli has time to sink in. this is a situation outside the conventions of everyday life; a juncture where unique individuals come together to make a strong core of men – men who see that something monumental is soon to be unfolding around them.

6

CHRISTINE HEALYside by side

oil on canvas79 x 79cm

My painting is titled “side by side” a phrase from the tribute written by the ottoman commander Mustafa kemal (atatürk) in 1934. He poetically states that there is no difference between the fallen soldiers who are now buried side by side in turkish soil.

these soldiers also lie side by side in our memories, both at a personal level and significantly at a national level. their stories of individual sacrifice, courage and suffering for a national purpose resonate today, for Gallipoli was a nation building moment in the history of australia and new Zealand, and similarly a key moment in the history of turkish independence.

My visual testimonial features a mule as a tribute to the animals that performed a significant role side by side with the soldiers in battle. While the tortured craggy landscape alludes to the horrors of war, the single pine portrayed becomes a symbol of hope.

9

DIANA COLEanZac day 2

acrylic5 x 30 x 30cm

from the number of volunteer drivers who transport those too old or infirm to march, to the friends and younger relatives who support others in the march, on anzac day we are able to see at first hand the qualities of loyalty and comradeship expressed in the club creed.

there is the moving dawn service followed by the parade of men and women from past and present conflicts, whilst bands in colourful uniforms delight the crowd.

later there are the reunions of comrades who have been through so much and each year come together to remember.

8

DAVID DENNEEN1915 to 2015 Memories

acrylic on canvas100 x 50cm

11

FLEUR MACDONALDarchitect of War and Peace

Gouache and uv-Polyurathane on Wood38 x 40cm

the pencil, this simple item taken for granted played an incredible part in the making of history.

10

ELIZABETH RANKINingleburn Portrait

oil on linendyptich 2 x 51 x 51cm

the dyptych ingleburn Portrait is based on my father’s war photos and depicts part of his time in training at ingleburn. He served 1939-1945 in the Middle east, ceylon and new Guinea. By the end of the war he was ill with malaria and later in life suffered from post-traumatic stress. unlike many other veterans he often spoke of the war and his memories of it have become part of my understanding of him.

the paintings are of his friends. i do not know their names but found them amongst his things after his death. this work bears witness to what he saw as the value of the war as a continuation of a mateship tradition, a camaraderie in adversity.

13

GLEN ROBERT PREECEthe kangaroo March

oil on canvas92 x 122cm

route Wagga Wagga, Junee, illabo, Bethungra, cootamundra, Wallendbeen, Galong, Goondah, Binalong, Yass, Goulburn, Wingello, Bundanoon, sutton forest, Moss vale, Mittagong, Picton, camden, campbelltown, Petersham, ending at the domian, sydney.

Groups of recruits joined from narrandera, tumut and Young. to retain the march’s country character, no recruits were taken on after campbelltown.

this was the longest of the recruiting marches – 350 miles.

the military authorities attempted to stop the march at Goulburn, intending that they should enter camp for training, but it continued to sydney. there were accusations of misconduct both during the march and after the kangaroos had entered training camp. they staged a strike outside Goulburn and again in sydney over leave, both strikes led by australian Workers’ union members who had been recruited at Galong and Goondah.

Many of the kangaroos were allotted to the 55th Battalion, which arrived in france in 1916.

one of the kangaroos, John ryan of tumut, was to receive a victoria cross. other awards to marchers were: 2 distinguished conduct Medals and 7 Military Medals.

australian War Memorial recruiting Marches 1915-1916

12

GEOFF HARVEYunder foreign skies

acrylic on Board82 x 120cm

so many men lost their lives in the many battles of the Great War.

sadly many were buried hastily in unmarked graves.

this was the case in Gallipoli for some of our brave soldiers.

My painting is about those soldiers who had made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

they were buried without head stones or any identifying markers but we will not forget them. for they were the anZac’s

15

GREG FRAWLEY“cross for oswald and frank” (Byzantine Moon series)

oil on canvas91cm x 61cm

With very basic equipment the anzacs took to Gallipoli the great australian art of improvising - making the most with very little.

a simple symbolic cross of rope might be held above dead mates as they were stretchered through trenches, reflecting the special qualities of loyalty, respect, and comradeship - self-reliance and making-do in adversity. tensioned youthful hand grips might momentarily absorb frustration, question beliefs and ease the loss.

then the treasured pieces of rope could be reused to tie timber supports along crumbling trench walls.

as a kid growing up in country nsW i saw my parents practice the art of improvisation daily as a natural response to any challenge. there weren’t special tools for every task. they had to invent, refashion and experiment with what they had.

When painting i used a similar improvised approach starting with the four hands on a blank canvas and discovering the composition as i went along, trenches and distant landscape followed by a few basic objects. an almost monochromatic palette echoes the printed illustrations of the period.

My aim was to create a feeling of the trenches, the limited resources and the spirit of comradeship and respect while trying to survive the horrific conditions.

14

GREGORY ALEXANDERMemorial

oil on six canvas Boards (each 30 x 20cm)123 x 63cm

recently whilst crossing the Great ocean road in apollo Bay (a small town on the victorian coast) i looked up to see the striking outline of an australian digger silhouetted against a cloudy grey sky. i was struck by that statue of a figure seemingly ascending into the clouds – a noble image yet full of pathos. feeling both melancholic and grateful, i considered this icon of bravery, which stood for first World War solders fighting far away from their homeland, often making the ultimate sacrifice, to protect values i can now take for granted.

this experience and image haunted me and i felt compelled to paint that figure in that particular setting. this became the image that sits at the top of my work for the Gallipoli Prize. it and the experience i describe became the catalyst for the work as a whole, involving my visiting other sites and memorials to paint further statues in the particular weathers and settings i encountered.

17

JANET LEITHa Postcard from france

acrylic on linen91 x 84 cm

My grandmother’s older brother William Brook enlisted in 1915 as a Gunner in the 13th Brigade, australian field artillery and died aged 20 on 14 april 1917.

My mother had a large photo of my Great uncle, postcards written from the war and some basic information.

this image of the young William in his uniform and an embroidered postcard written to my grandmother from france inspired me to create my artwork.

as the work progressed i didn’t expect to find it so distressing to paint a young man the same age as my own son and to think of him fighting in trenches, buying the embroidered silk postcard in a village and writing to his little sister dot (aged 9). i started to imagine his fear and courage in a strange land, and felt sad investigating how he was shot and sent to a field hospital, dying of his wounds the following day.

My grandma kept Will’s postcard. i’m sorry that she is no longer alive so i can talk to her about the loss of her older brother. i imagine she was excited to think of gathering flowers in fields in france, just like Will wanted her to. What a wonderful image to send your baby sister from the war!

16

HADYN WILSONin Memorium

oil on Board176 x 97cm

War and conflict seem inevitable and at times unavoidable.

since federation, australia has been to war against many nations, from the Boer war, to the 1st and 2nd world wars, the korean war, the vietnam war, the iraq and afghanistan wars as well as lesser known conflicts such as the Boxer rebellion, (1900-01), the Malayan emergency, (1950-53) and the indonesian confrontation, (1963-6) and Peacekeeping exercises from 1947 to present.

now, through immigration many of these country’s nationals have become australians themselves. We celebrate their contribution to this country, their culture, their food, their traditions, even their alliances.

at this time of year we need to broaden our focus and honour those we have fought against as well as the australians lost in these conflicts.

the words in the Gallipoli club creed, “ loyalty, respect, love of country, courage and comradeship “ apply equally to enemy soldiers who often stood outside the politics that sent them into battle.

the human tragedy of war is universal and the more all nations give time to acknowledge that common humanity, the better chance we have of fulfilling that creed of “perpetual peace and universal freedom”.

19

JUDITH WHITEthe Passing; lost Youth

acrylic & collage on canvas90 x 120cm

Whenever i read lists of names of people who went to war, i am chilled by the revelation that many of these men and women were so young.

they lost their youth, and for many their lives.

18

JOHN COLET SCHOOLlest We forget

acrylic on canvas122 x 91cm

this artwork reflects the involvement of the indigenous and torres strait islanders in WW1.

the students chose to depict the landing of Gallipoli from above, in the way that indigenous artists depict the landscape and stories of their dreaming.

they designed their own symbols to show the soldiers, the landing craft, the battleships and the difficult terrain.

the colour palette used in this artwork was influenced by contemporary indigenous art and the Gallipoli landscape.

21

KRISTIN HARDIMANWe Will remember them

oil on canvas91.5 x 91.5cm

it is up to all of us to never forget the bravery, sacrifices and spirit of all of our veterans and to hold them close to our hearts.

20

KATE DORROUGHBones of the land, the collective unconscious

acrylic on linen98 x 107cm

the landscape along with the Battle of Gallipoli is fused in the australian collective unconscious, a place of memory, suffering and of war. Bones of the land are remnants and relics of this past.

images of soldiers carrying wounded comrades and a statue of an ottoman soldier carrying a wounded anzac, at the Gallipoli battlefield cemetery, have loosely inspired the figures in this landscape. it is the collective empathy of human suffering and compassion that unites us in being human.

23

LINDSAY SPEARSa Parcel for christmas

oil61 x 92cm

Much great art has been created over the years celebrating the glory of the Generals, the heroism of the soldier and the nobility of sacrifice. likewise, artists have made strong and enduring statements about the horror, the tragedy and the ultimate futility of war.

My theme is a lesser one: Whatever the causes or the rights or wrong or war, it always involves young people being sent far from home, and the few links they have to home, and the way those links are treasured, seems to me to say a lot about love of country , for country is another word for ‘home’.

22

LEE PORTERthe saddest farewell

acrylic on canvas95 x 65cm

as an owner and lover of horses, i can’t imagine how hard it would have been to leave behind your faithful friend that had saved your life so many times. i know these amazing horses used for the light Horse Brigade were called Walers because my grand uncle bred and trained horses for WWi. intelligent and obedient, the Walers were the breed best suited to the regiments of soldiers on horseback, and proved themselves on the battlefield, over and over again. i don’t know that i could have left behind my beloved companion, and many soldiers shot their horses instead of leaving them to a harder life in the fields. i tried to capture these last private moments in the shadow of his hat, pale faced and dreading the final and saddest farewell, while the intelligent horse looks on understandingly.

25

MARYANNE WICKGreater love Hath no Man

acrylic on Wood and canvas150.7 x 116.9cm

My painting is about love and sacrifice. one hundred years has passed since our nation’s sacrifice at Gallipoli. our country, our soldiers and many of our families are still making sacrifices today in the name of war and peace.

in making this painting, i drew on memories of my visit to Gallipoli in 1987 and how, during that visit, i tried to envisage the chaos of 1915. it was difficult to imagine that it was the same place. surprisingly, given what had happened on those shores one hundred years ago, there was a peaceful sense of place. the hills, coves and beaches were tranquil and calm. the rustic landscape met the blue sea, and together with the blue sky, felt reminiscent of the colours and landscape of australia. the moon shone brightly that same night and it seemed to me that Gallipoli had become a fine resting place for our brave young men. knowing their spirits were at peace gave me a feeling of relief.

‘Greater love hath no man’ is dedicated to my grandmother Beatrice starr, who, under the heading of duty, love and sacrifice, sent three of her sons to war.

24

MARTIN TIGHEthe Burden

acrylic on linen51 x 41cm

i have long been interested in the iconography of animals. the donkey is an animal rich in symbolism. it represents service, suffering, peace and humility and reflects many of the characteristics of those who fought for their country at Gallipoli 100 years ago. these values are still relevant in defining our national identity today.

27

MERVYN APPLETONthe field kitchen

oil75 x 60cm

My painting is a symbolic tribute to all those who organise and run the field kitchens in war and peace.

in my painting, the cooks prepare a welcome respite for their mates from the horrors of the trenches and the battlefield, unarmed these brave men often came under fire while preparing meals, as the smoke from their kitchen stoves were a certain giveaway as to their position.

today’s fire-fighters, police and paramedics who selflessly risk their lives amongst the unknown dangers of bushfires, floods and earthquakes etc. also depend on the efforts of those (often volunteers) who provide the meals and rest areas in times of crisis. these men and women all continue to uphold the Gallipoli Memorial club’s “creed” of loyalty and respect for their fellow men. they continue the true anZac spirit of courage, mateship and bravery forged in the trenches and battlefields.

26

MERTIM GOKALPdonald keys for the descendants Project

oil on canvas120 x 90cm

“at school, i was taught that the war was just and that the men were brave… i was educated to believe the battle of Gallipoli defined our culture… However, i simply do not believe my teachers. i find war repugnant, and Gallipoli is a prime example of political failure.

it is with great pride that i wear my father’s & grandfather’s medals in the portrait; not to glorify the wars that they fought in, but simply to acknowledge their personal sacrifice, and show my appreciation of their selfless contribution to society…”

donald keys, grandson of 1697 l/sgt samuel keys, 25th Battalion, for the descendants Project.

donald keys is one of the subjects portrayed for the descendants Project.

the descendants Project, which aims to commemorate anzac History, consists of 20 portraits of n10 anzac and turkish Gallipoli War descendants in total. sydney based turkish-australian contemporary portrait artist Metrim Gokalp intends to address both the turkish-australian mutual understanding and promotion of peace between the nations. Mertim’s dual nationality, his understanding of the both cultures and their histories puts him in a unique viewpoint as an artist. He seeks to unveil the connections to the past and explore new connections into the future, expressing gratitude for the sacrifice.

29

NYLE MAJORall My Mates Got Were Wooden crosses

oil on canvas60 x 90cm

“no. 4/515 Private cryil royston Guyton Bassett, new Zealand divisional signal company. for most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on the chunuk Bair ridge in the Gallipoli Peninsula on 8th august, 1915. after the new Zealand infantry Brigade had attacked and established itself on the ridge, Private Bassett, in full daylight and under a continuous and heavy fire, succeeded in laying a telephone line from the old position to new one on chunuk Bair. He has subsequently been brought to notice for further excellent and most gallant work connected with the repair of telephone lines by day and night under heavy fire.” the london Gazette, no. 29238, 15 october 1915

cyril royston Guyton Bassett landed at anZac cove on april 25th 1915 with the first new Zealand divisional signal company. He served with courage and distinction at Gallipoli- many times braving heavy fire to repair and lay telephone wires between old and new positions. on the 8th of august when he won his v.c, he had bullets pass through his tunic collar, pocket, and into his boot. His mate in front was killed and the one behind wounded.

upon receiving his v.c from king George v Bassett said; “all my comrades who had seen and done things that could never be surpassed by anyone- yet only one v.c. all my mates got were wooden crosses”

on anZac day 1956 he planted a seedling from the lone pine in Gallipoli outside the auckland War Memorial Museum as an everlasting link to Gallipoli and to provide remembrance to the sacrifices made by all those involved.

My great-great uncle lieutenant colonel cyril royston Guyton Bassett-new Zealand’s first victoria cross passed away in January 1983.

28

MICHELLE HUNGERFORDterra nullius

acrylic & charcoal on Board120 x 60cm

the title of my painting is “terra Bullius” – a latin term meaning ‘empty land’.

My painting imagines a connection between the austrlian landscape and “no man’s land” in trench warfare.

When australia was first colonized by the British they referred to the land as “terra nullius” with the implication that np-one inhabited the land and that the land was of no particular significance to anyone.

since then or course, it has been recoginsed that the land is not just a desolate landscape but rather is something that carries with it a deep meaning in terms of history and identity for the indigenous occupiers of the land.

Hence parallels with Gallipoli a place where the souls of the dead and the bodies of the wounded lay together.

our youngest son is currently serving in the australian army. in my darkest moments i imagine him in a no man’s land.

in better times, i know this career is his choice and he is well looked after by his army family. We are very proud of him and others who have made the same choices… but we worry.

Gallipoli has taken on a new meaning for me and our family.

3130

PETER SMEETHlemnos Pieta

acrylic/alkyd oil on linen100 x 75cm

in this painting i wanted to pay tribute to the dedication and sacrifice of ordinary men & women serving their country in time of war and i decided to have a dead soldier representing sacrifice and a nurse to represent dedication to duty. My preparatory sketches all had the appearances of a Pieta and i thought it appropriate to name this painting as such, echoing the other story of self sacrifice, that of christ giving up his life to save others.

the Greek island of lemnos was allied Base for the blockade of the darndanelles during the World War 1 and the main embarkation point for the Gallipoli landings. as well as on lemnos, australian nurses served on hospital ships and general field hospitals on the other islands, egypt and england.

the Mudros armistice ending hostilities with the ottoman empire in the Middle east was signed on HMs agamemnon in Mudrus Bay, lemnos on 30th october 1918

ROSALIE DULIGALHumble remains

Watercolour74 x 34cm

they both went to battle together.

they fought together as one.

a hundred years have passed;

We still remember the price they paid.

the nightmares they must have suffered,

the pain that most did not survive,

so we can live in freedom and have time to remember their names.

no matter how the year’s pass and the last of those soldiers remain.

We will never forget what they did

and the humble boots that were never downtrodden.

that marched forward into battle.

Whatever remains to keep sacred of the sacrifice they all made.

lest We forget

Private Miller Mack. forgotten soldiers of WW1

33

SALLY ROBINSONBoy soldiers

acrylic on canvas121.5 x 121.5cm

like others who have travelled to the Gallipoli grave sites in turkey, i was struck by how young a large number of the soldiers who died there were, some no more than boys. this painting commemorates those young lives lost. over a backdrop of lone Pine cemetery, where many of these boy soldiers now lie, and under the australian Military forces rising sun emblem, i have stenciled the names and ages of the youngest soldiers to die in the Gallipoli campaign.

32

ROSALIND HELYARDthey Have Become our sons

Mixed Media100 x 70cm

the australian khaki dress tunic is painted with vignettes of the Gallipoli campaign of the first World War; the bloated horse carcass at anzac cove; lovingly tended gravesites; the enduring image of simpson transporting the wounded on his donkey and anzac boys catching the bombed, stunned fish. death and water envelope the men. australian nurses hover with rosemary sprigs picked from anzac cove, ready to tend the sick and dying.

embedded in the tunic are members of my family as well as kemal ataturk, leader of the turks. sadly “the war to end all wars” was not a success. the men and women of my family have been terribly impacted by war. Just one example was my father, norman Moore, (seen wearing the slouch hat in one of the buttons on the tunic). He served as a young man Borneo in the second World War and he died aged 53.

the tunic is surrounded by water that the soldiers swam in to relieve them of lice and the filth of war. in 2013, i swam at anzac cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula and could imagine their joy.

TERENCE MAHONYserving their country

acrylic on Board120 x 80cm

despite a ban on non-europeans enlisting during the two world wars, 1,000 indigenous australians fought the prohibition and enlisted during World War i. the number ballooned during World War ii to more than 3,000. Many lost their lives. they came from a section of society with few rights, low wages, and poor living conditions. they could not vote and were not counted in the census.

on return home after WW1 indigenous soldiers found discrimination remained or indeed had worsened during the war. they found that the best land in aboriginal reserves had been confiscated for solider settlement Blocks, without compensation or even kindness.

Making up those 3,000 WWii indigenous servicemen were people like leonard Waters who was the only known aboriginal fighter pilot to serve in World War two. He was an 18-year-old shearer from nindigully, Queensland. By the end of the war he had completed 95 missions in his kittyhawk fighter, which was called “Black Magic”. the name “Black Magic” was not his idea; it was the previous mount of John Blackmore. it was perhaps fate that decided leonard getting this aircraft! after the war leonard tried to start his own air service in Western Queensland, but lack of financial backing forced his idea to fold. He went back to shearing.

Many indigenous vietnam veterans returned from the unpopular war with mental scars and confronted a weary australian public.

although aboriginal and torres strait islander service may not have always fulfilled the hopes for a better deal for indigenous australians, many ex-servicemen and women on their return challenged their unequal position in australia and fought for the advancement of aboriginal and torres strait islander people.

vietnam veterans became leaders of aboriginal business, land management, housing and veterans’ advocacy organisations. aboriginal ex-servicewomen worked in aboriginal communities and held significant state and national roles.

despite these inequalities, indigenous australians have participated in nearly every war and peace keeping mission australia has been involved in since federation. over a century of service to their country that to this day fails to recognize them in its constitution.

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SUSAN SUTTON ‘out came the sherrin’

Mixed media – oil & Graphite on canvas47.5 x 107.5cm

they were so young and spirited, their energy was intense.

a short break in military order … they let loose!

‘out came the sherrin’ !

Back home on green grass and muddy paddocks, they had played weekly for their now sadly depleted country teams.

in the heat and the sandy dust of this remote, foreign land … ‘out came the sherrin’ … and for a rare, brief, boisterous, glorious moment in time they were ‘home’!

i created this image combining my ongoing interest in both australian sport and military life.

in my research i compared historical photographs of country football teams in the early 1900s with those of massed soldiers at the Gallipoli front, particularly in moments of relaxation.

the close companionship and bonding which develops from playing in a team can easily be compared and related to army life.

in 1915 those young men who were little more than boys, naturally would have needed diversion from the shocking hardships they faced.

amidst the overwhelming mayhem of their situation, i have attempted to convey a momentary outbreak of sheer revelry.

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VICKI SULLIVANcourage, camaraderie and consequence

oil on Belgian linen117 x 150cm

for me the spirit of Gallipoli is primarily about the people.

therefore i have chosen to paint three generations of australian veterans.

Mr keith {screwy} rae is a 97 year old World War 2 navy veteran, who‘s ship was torpedoed twice and was sunk once in the Mediterranean, with the sad loss of four lives.

luckily the crew were picked up by an english naval ship who against protocol, broke convoy and came to their aid.

cobi Head is a 30 year old army veteran of iraq, east timor and tonga. He joined up in 2005 as a rifleman and later served in iraq as part of security detachment 11 {secdet xi}. He then held the rank of Private and formed part of alpha company, 1 rar.

With the primary role in iraq was of security for the australian embassy, protection of the australian ambassador to iraq and australian dignitaries.

the veteran in the middle is my Husband, Michael Gowty, a vietnam veteran, who served as an armament fitter in the raaf 9 squadron at vung tau and nui dat 1969/1970

working on iroquois Helicopter gunships.

TONY COSTAMurphy and kirkpatrick

Gouache on Paper80 x 113cm

When i heard of the story of kirkpatrick and his donkey Murphy i was struck and felt compelled to paint the story.

i have always loved donkeys for their extremely affectionate nature and their even temper.

as an australian of sicilian decent, donkey stories were popular in my family. during World War ii my father was captured by the Germans, i can only imagine the horror. this was the first time i had heard about war as a young boy.

the bond and loyalty that develops under such circumstances between man and man, or man and animal must be strong. it was this bond which i explored in the painting.

often animals will display acts of love with their tongues, here we have Murphy the donkey standing steadfast bent over kikpatrick who has been killed.

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WILHELMUS BREIKERSthe Way

acrylic on canvas96 x 126cm

it is not something i have been given to bear: the impossibility of death is not understood by sacrifice, not explained by the greater good, nor is it made less terrible by prayer.

it is not something i have been given to endure: impossible grief is not assuaged by noble sacrifice, not satisfied by the greater good, nor is it made less terrible by prayer.

ZOE PANAGIOTOPOULOSBertie

oil60 x 75cm

on september 12, 1914 the australian imperial force, 20,000 strong, arrived on the shores of Gallipoli. leaving loved ones behind, looking for adventure they donned their uniform of war, took the soldier’s oath and changed their lived forever. Most were young. some did not even leave the boats, but died in their seats as the first artillery and gunfire attacks began. the horror and unimaginable reality of war for the hitherto untried and inexperienced troops had begun, and their innocence was lost. every soldier faced exhaustion, confusion of command in the harsh terrain, anxiety and fear, injury, mutilation and death. Many made the ultimate sacrifice for king and country. for those that survived, the larrikin, generous, happy-go-lucky smiling boys in the slouch hats, full of promise and youthful optimism, life would never ever be the same.

this image communicates to me so completely the devastating emotional and psychological impact of the Great War on one such young soldier i have named Bertie. He enlisted with youthful excitement and pride, only to face the horror and despair of war. as a mother of a teenage son and a proud australian i cannot help but feel such compassion and gratitude for these boys and their families who suffered such unbearable, heartbreaking anguish and devastating loss and through injury and death. not a single one has been forgotten. not even those lost and unidentified, still lying in foreign soil. it is a war that shaped the australian character and identity, and we will always remember, respect, appreciate and honour their memory and spirit.

lest We forGet

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