p.15 - 16 Retired schoolmaster, Harry Harry’s mate (both of Aboriginal descent) Gwydir River Outback NSW (near Narrabri) 1914 (start of WWI) Old man (retired school master) verbally berates the young Harry and friend about their lack of interest in what is happening in the war. p.17 “Sons of the Southern Cross” – song of patriotism and call to action p.18 Harry Ern Bob Norm Harry’s mate Gwydir River 1914 The young Aboriginal men are watching soldiers go past and wondering why they are fighting. Harry’s mate gives a brief rundown of the history behind the war but they boys don’t seem to listen or understand. p.22 p.23 - p.25 Army Recruiters, Ern, Norm, Bob Petrie Terrace (street in the city of Brisbane) At a recruiting hall for soldiers to fight in WWI 1915 The Aboriginal boys from the country try to sign up to go to war but are rejected because they are Aboriginal. They go to a different recruiting hall and the recruiters discuss what to do with them. Discussion about how Aboriginal they look and if their Aboriginality can be overlooked. It is decided that they will overlook it. The boys sign up p.26 Voice from old wireless 1915 This is a very patriotic glorification of the Australian soldier. p.27 Ern, Bob, Norm (aboriginal) Queen St, Brisbane 1915 The boys are having their photos taken in uniform. They are talking about how people treat them with more respect when they are in uniform. p.28 Archie Waiting to cross to France 1915 Young innocent (white) soldier writes a letter to his aunt before he has experienced the battlefields of France.
p.87 Churchgoer Laurie Mt Gambier Leaving a church service 1937 Churchgoer recognises Laurie from the war but Laurie does not want to go back to ‘the dark’ p.78 - 9 Ern, Norm, soldier Cherbourg (outback QLD) It was originally an aboriginal settlement 1939 Ern has one arm – they are standing around a fire. Ern is having nightmares Norm feels ‘they painted my colour back on the day I got off that boat.” p.80 Song – On Jordan’s Stormy Banks p. 82 Ern Returned serviceman Murgon, QLD 1939 Ern gives his medals to a returned solider for safekeeping at the RSL. p.83 84 Correspondence Sequence of letters that outline various returned Aboriginal soldiers experiences post war. p.86 Harry Stan Castlereagh St, Sydney 1949 Harry is begging on the streets when his old mate from the war Stan comes along. Stan is doing well for himself and he gives Harry some cash. p.66 - 67 Bloke with a glass of wine Glebe Town Hall (Sydney) 1949 monologue An Aboriginal ex-soldier gives a speech about how the army/war made him because they were all equal in the war. Discusses the glory of fighting for your country. p.96 Nigel, Psych nurse Callan Park (Psych hospital) 1951 Nigel says he can see ‘the big world’ Last words of the play are ‘I don’t want to join in. I don’t belong.’ p.91-3 Old soldier (Ern) 1956 Monologue Talks about the lasting damage of war The ‘iron harvest’ - bits of shrapnel finding their way to the surface in his body. It also represents the emotional pain, memory and legacy of the war slowly working their way out of society. p. 94 First 2 stanzas of the poem Recessional by Rudyard Kipling (1897) Ties in with the importance of religion Use of lines ‘lest we forget’ which are lines used in remembrance services extensively.