Soldier or Student? The Recruitment of Australian University Students in the First World War

Abstract

Geographically separated from the war front by vast expanses of land and sea, Australia’s participation in the First World War was driven primarily by a European connection rather than immediate necessity. However, there was much uncertainty about what Australia’s role should be, especially at Australian universities, where students were forced to choose a path that would shape the rest of their lives: student or soldier? Built on an examination of the University of Melbourne Archives, this study explores the experience of students at a time when the number of military personnel being requested of Australia was increasing rapidly.