Australian
Screen

Teacher’s notes

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This clip shows the re-creation of a Sydney street scene in 1914 as the First World War begins. Recruitment posters and men in uniform can be seen in the street. Through the characters of Will (Tamblyn Lord) and rabbito Ned (Nathan Croft) the clip dramatically depicts some of the various responses of Australians to enlistment. An intertitle describes the 1910 legislation requiring boys aged between 14 and 17 years to register for compulsory military training and also that boys were prosecuted for failing to do so. When Will visits his father’s workplace he encounters the boss, who expresses his opinion that the 14-year-old should put up his age so he can enlist.

Educational value points

• Reference is made to the Australian system of compulsory military training for males that became law in 1911 under the Fisher Labor Government. Boys aged 12–14 years were compelled to enrol in the junior cadets, 14–18-year-olds in the senior cadets and 18–26-year-olds became members of the citizens’ military forces. The training was to be conducted on a part-time basis and was restricted to home service. While some exemptions were given, many boys did not register and between 1911 and 1915 the number of boys prosecuted was 34,000 and of these, 7,000 were given a prison sentence.

• The clip indicates the enthusiasm felt by many Australians who were willing to fight in support of Britain when war was declared, as well as the opposition felt by those who rejected Australia’s involvement in the War. The initial public support waned by the later years of the War when the Government had to raise additional troops and volunteers were not as forthcoming. In 1916 and 1917 the government introduced two referendums on conscription, both of which were defeated. The Roman Catholic Church opposed conscription as many Australian Catholics were Irish and did not want to support Britain at a time when Ireland and Britain were in conflict.

• Boy Soldiers was part of the More Winners series which sensitively explored issues such as decision-making, personal growth and the rights of children in an Australian context. These issues are concerns for Ned and Will, who are shown grappling with adolescent challenges such as how to interact with the adults who appear to be unsympathetic to the concerns of the boys.

• The young characters seek to define themselves either in accordance with, or in contrast to, the values of those around them, especially their peer group and elders. Boy Soldiers combines the emotive issue of conscription with the vulnerability of adolescence. The Area Officer and the boss could be seen as representing the rigidity of the adult world, while Will reveals the uncertainties of a young person on the brink of acting against the beliefs of his superiors, on a challenging journey in search of his own identity.

• More Winners – Boy Soldiers displays high production values and careful attention to detail, especially in set design. The period costumes, the carefully and authentically reconstructed street scene and the language used in the script all combine to create a convincing portrait of Sydney at the time of the First World War.

• Boy Soldiers is a classic from the 1990 series of six telemovies known as More Winners. The overall quality of this production led to national and international awards, including an international Emmy Award in 1991 and the Liv Ullman Peace Prize in 1990. More Winners followed on from the original Winners series that aired in 1985 and boosted the careers of stars such as Nicole Kidman. Director of the Australian Children’s Television Foundation Patricia Edgar acted as executive producer on both series, working with the support of the Australian Film Commission.