The first in a series of public events to mark the centenary of the First World War, ‘Gallipoli in Retrospect’ brought together three Deakin scholars to examine the Gallipoli campaign in its local, personal and military guises. The Contemporary Histories Research Group is pleased to announce that we can share the audio files of this event with you.

Showcasing new research, the symposium exposed the intimacy of the war for those at the front and those at home, taking us inside the experience of the campaign that plunged Australia into the realities of the First World War.

Dr Matthew Richards uncovered local efforts in Geelong to make sense of the war and the impact of the fighting and losses at Gallipoli. ‘No Socks for Cold Footers’ captured the tensions building within the local community.

In a forthright examination ‘Australia’s Greatest Victory: A Reflection on Popular Misconceptions About the Gallipoli Campaign’, Dr Dale Blair drew on his extensive research into the campaign to reassess our understanding of Gallipoli today. Dale addressed the strategic and tactical conduct of the campaign, as well as the national biases that have affected analysis of the campaign for a century.

Dr Bart Ziino looked deep into private experiences of those who experienced the war at home, and the tension of waiting and hoping that loved ones at the front would be safe, even as the war grew ever bigger in his ‘Gallipoli and the Private War at Home’.

Thank you to Dale Blair, Matthew Richards and Bart Ziino for allowing the Contemporary Histories Research Group to record and share their research with our viewers.

You can find the audio files for ‘Gallipoli in Retrospect’, and other Contemporary Histories recordings on our YouTube channel.