****Annotation added 24 Feb 2014: "In all, some 480,000 Allied forces took part in the Gallipoli Campaign, at a cost of more than 250,000 casualties, including some 46,000 dead. On the Turkish side, the campaign also cost an estimated 250,000 casualties, with 65,000 killed." Source: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/battle-of-gallipoli ****Note added 25 April 2010: When I was asked to create this presentation for a Remembrance Day assembly, I didn't know how I would show an "anti-war" song at an event that is supposed to honour our veterans. At the same time, war and military conflict was such a distant concept for our students, I wanted to some how make history relevant to them, let alone an "Australian" song that most of the our middle school students have never heard. The more I listened to Bogle's words, the more I realized that this song was about more than a moment in history. It's about how history repeats itself and the great sacrifices that are made during war and how futile it all is if we fail to learn from our mistakes. Making the transition from B/W to full colour to coincide with Bogle's words "We started all over again," I wanted to show how war is part of our past, present and (unfortunately) future. Great sacrifices have been made because of war. Bogle asks "What are they marching for?" I say they are marching to honour those sacrifices. If any veteran is offended by this video, I truly do apologize. ************************* April 25 - ANZAC Day November 11 - Remembrance Day "Waltzing Matilda" is a very famous Australian folk song and a "Matilda" was the name given to the pack that Australian farm workers carried on their backs. To "Waltz Matilda" meant to carry your pack of belongings through the bush. The song "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" by Eric Bogle is about Australian soldiers who fought against Turkish troops and died in the Battle of Gallipoli in World War I. Mixed with pictures from Gallipoli are pictures of past and present Canadian troops because this song and slideshow was played during a Remembrance Day assembly at a Canadian public school. Information about this song was taken from this web page (which is NOT mine) that talks about Eric Bogle's performance of this song: http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/parton/2/matilda.html Judging by a lot of people's comments, I should have used another source for info and double-checked the data. I hope that Bogle's message reaches beyond just numbers--because all sacrifices big or small are significant.

• published: 05 Nov 2007
• views: 1304885