Light Horse With Archy example essay topic
Frank being hesitant to join the army decided to enlist in the Light Horse with Archy. Yet, he had no skill for riding a horse and was denied a place in the Light Horse, so he joined the infantry instead, forcing the two to go their separate ways. Eventually, the two friends are reunited and Frank is allowed to join the Light Horse with Archy. They were sent to the Nek for an attack against Turkey. After losing a friend in the infantry battle, Frank is fearful of the battle and is appointed the messenger instead. The planned attack at the Nek was to begin at 4 o'clock and last 30 minutes before the men would leap over the trenches and run across no man's land to the Turkish trenches and attack.
However, the attacks were called off 7 minutes too soon allowing the Turks to reload their guns and shoot all the men who attempted to run across no man's land. Being practically murder of the cavalry, Frank was sent to consult the Australian commander as the British demanded to push on. With the message of halting the attack of the cavalries, he ran back to the trenches, but was too late to stop the fourth line, including Archy, from going over the trenches. The main themes of this movie were war, mateship, bravery and heroism.
Obviously, war was a major part of the film. We learnt about Australia's part in World War 1. We see how it has affected the everyday lives of many as they enrol in the infantries and cavalries to fight for their country. The tactics and techniques they used in the war are demonstrated to us.
They trained their men in Cairo doing activities that required effort and teamwork e.g. Soccer. Setting infantry against cavalry, they had practice wars. The war and decision making on the Gallipoli peninsula was clearly demonstrated. Mateship was clearly displayed in this film as we see the bond develop between Archy and Frank. At the beginning, Archy and Frank were just acquaintances after running the race near the start of the movie.
Journeying together to Perth allowed their friendship to build, they even decided to join the Light Horse together. Eventually, they had to part as Archy was shipped to the training in Cairo but they were determined to meet again. When they did meet again, they hardly ever split. Frank even changed from infantry to join the Light Horse. During the attack at the Nek, Archy was designated to be the messenger, but he suggested that Frank take his place as he began to fear war after losing a mate.
After Frank was to late in delivering the message to call off the 4th line of attack, he had a strong reaction to it knowing that Archy and numerous other men had died because he was too late. Another example of mateship was between Frank and his friends in the infantry. When the man was checking the teeth of the infantry and disapproved of one of Frank's friends, Frank told the man, "If you don't take him, you " ll have lost the four of us" showing the strong friendship between them. The soccer game at Cairo was a good example of mateship as they had to develop trust in each other if they were going to fight another country together similar to how a soccer team has to trust each other to play well and succeed in triumph. Bravery and heroism was a strong part of the film as it was a strong part of the war. As the men in the infantry and the cavalry trained and fought together, they were representing their country and their alliance, doing their part in the war.
Whether the men had returned alive or dead, they would be branded as being brave and heroic for their contribution to the war. The characters had different attitudes to the war. All of the minor characters wanted to enrol in the infantry because they felt it was right plus they were influenced by peer pressure and society's pressure to go to war, as their manhood was at stake. Archy was eager to go to war right from the beginning to end. He was determined to join the Light Horse because he felt Australia needed as much help as it could get.
Archy blamed Germany for the war, believing that it was their fault. He was worried that they may end up in Australia. Throughout the movie, Archy had the same attitude. His morals supported Australia and he died bravely fighting for his country.
On the other hand, Frank did not intend on being a part of the war at the beginning. He backed out of joining the infantry with his friends. However later decided to join the Light Horse with Archy after feeling the pressure of society on his manhood. When people found out Archy was joining, they even held a toast to him, whereas Frank stood feeling the pressure of society, as he was unnoticed. Frank had felt similar to his Irish father, as the Irish resented the British and didn't have sympathy towards them. As he didn't have any money, Frank decided to join the Light Horse despite the fact that he didn't know how to ride a horse.
He also thought of the war as a way to learn skills and tricks so when he comes back he can become a General. When the Light Horse didn't accept Frank, he joined the infantry instead. Eventually his attitude towards the war changed, and he obeyed commands and did what he was told to as a representative of his country. Historically, the film is accurate. Comparing the film's events and Source 4.5. 3 they are very similar in story.
The movie followed the exact occurrences mentioned in the Source, proving to be accurate. The Light Horse cavalries were indeed sent up to the Nek where 5 Turkish machine guns were set up. Four lines of Light Horsemen were instructed to attack the Turkish trenches from the trenches for a 30-minute duration followed by attacks on foot barging into enemy territory. However the bombardment ceased 7 minutes too early. This allowed enough time for the Turks to reload their machine guns. After the 7 min duration, the first line of men emerged from the trench to run across the battlefield into the Turkish trenches and all were shot down before exceeding 5 yards.
The second line saw the outcome of the attack and could predict their fate. The attacks were fatal to the Light Horsemen, as they knew they were doomed to die once they were on the battlefield. However they continued to run across no man's land, dying bravely as they ran quickly to the enemy. The details of this event are the same showing that the film was accurate as a historical source in the attack at the Nek on 7 August 1915. Despite the true facts in the film, some parts have been twisted too much. The movie had given the impression at times that the war was fun and enjoyable instead of a dreadful occurrence.
The training sessions they had were too playful, that it didn't capture the seriousness of the war. The men at Cairo were displayed as being trained and prepared for war in a fun way as they played soccer during their training, then during their free time they were allowed to go the markets buying souvenirs (and complaining about being ripped off), impersonating British men on horses and fooling around with prostitutes. During the war, they would have not been allowed to do this, as activities like these would have presented them as untrained and have taken their mind of the war. In the scene when they were practicing war by pitting the infantry against the cavalry, all the men were basically fooling around rather than actually practicing fighting. When Archy and Frank were reunited during this play war, they stopped acting the war and started greeting each other. After the play war had been on for several minutes with the watchful eyes of the Generals observing the progress of the men, they ended the war and asked that those who are "injured" to lie on the ground so the non-injured can carry them away.
However, a majority of the men lay on the ground being apparently "injured". The whole purpose of this training exercise was ruined by the immaturity and playfulness of the men. Yet, they were still shipped off to Gallipoli to fight against the enemy. During war times while they were in Gallipoli, they went swimming in the water without being told off by a commanding officer.
An attack suddenly started being fired into the water and this injured a few men, in result of their incautious actions. The war was perceived as being too carefree and fun which is what weakened it as a historical source. The film was quite enjoyable in the end and could be perceived as a being a good historical source. It may have a few changed details, but those changes were only concerning the training of the men. The events that took place such as the fighting of the infantry and cavalry were real events in the film the same way they had occurred in reality. However, the changes of the training were probably for entertainment purposes, adding humour to allow interest for people watching the film.
This is the type of history films that should be created for school students. Amusing, whilst still able to show students factual events and they way they occurred. It allows better understanding of Australians in World War 1 and of the key aspects of the Anzac Legend.