Anzac Girls

We're halfway through the Centennial of 'The Great War', which our President, back then, labeled 'The War To End All Wars'… Modelers like me, all over the world, try to recreate in miniature the technology of World War I. So many new things were introduced: giant dreadnoughts, submarines, gigantic artillery pieces, and tanks. And especially airplanes: the whole world had perhaps a few hundred of them before the war broke out. By the time it ended, over a hundred THOUSAND of them had been made and deployed in every conceivable role.

What's beyond our abilities to recreate: what these great advances in technology were used for. Rolling barrages along hundred-mile fronts; poison gas warfare; unrestricted submarine attacks on every ship on the high seas; total blockades as economic warfare raged among whole huge empires; shelling and bombing of cities far behind the front lines. Something especially new and disastrous: civilians were previously noncombatants as long as they weren't directly in the path of battling armies. But now they could now be shelled and bombed anywhere, even at home hundreds of miles away from any battlefield. Those incredible advances in technology were purchased with rivers of blood shed by millions of people. It's hard for us to even contemplate, much less understand.

But the producers of 'Anzac Girls', and the author of the book on which this series is based, at least try to convey some of this heroism and suffering.

Mobilization of all the resources of all the combatants resulted in unprecedented carnage and consequent large numbers of casualties. So the need for medical services also reached levels never before imaginable.

This miniseries tells the story of five young women from Australia and New Zealand who volunteered for nursing duty with their expeditionary forces. They were young and full of energy and idealism… and of course had no clue whatsoever what they were getting themselves into. But who did? Certainly not the fighting men they had to try to put back together, in enormous numbers, after an endless stream of battles. "I'm so sick of this bloody war!" one of the nurses blurts out, after yet another man under her care succumbs to his wounds despite her best efforts. And this is 1916. We viewers knew there were still two years to go… participants in the Great War must have thought it would never end.

These episodes are mostly drama, with a little romance creeping in here and there. With youthful hormones running in such emotionally-charged conditions, how could there not be? But the budding attachments are just as fragile as the forward tent-housed 'hospitals' the Anzac girls work at, and the war wrecks everything indiscriminately. Some of the wrecking is just psychological: strain and burnout and personal loss and trauma. But some of it is flaming physical fury: there are several horrific scenes within these episodes. One occurs at a forward casualty station. When the nurses arrive, the camp commander reassures them that the railroad marshalling yard – a legitimate military target—is easily more than a hundred yards away! A night bombing raid—with big German bombers fleetingly, terrifying visible directly overhead—show how insignificant that separation is. While cringing at the scene, you can't help but make the connection to the 'Doctors Without Borders' trying to cope with the multitude of wars we have nowadays. Each may be small compared to the Great War, but there are so many of them, and the medical personnel get bombed, along with their patients, just like back then… Over the course of the series, the nurses move around: from a decent hospital in Cairo, to an unequipped island near the Gallipoli invasion, later to the Western Front, near the Somme River valley. Watching their skilled perseverance, as they actually save large numbers of men who would certainly have died otherwise, is inspiring enough. Watching them exhibit physical and moral courage in the midst of catastrophes is almost beyond belief.

This miniseries can't be said to be enjoyable, but it's certainly well done. All the production values are high. My wife Sandy and I watch lots of dramas on PBS, but have never before seen any members of the cast of 'Anzac Girls'. It's produced with the cooperation of the national film boards of Australia and New Zealand, however, so the actors and actresses may be experienced players in the film industry there. In any case, everyone does a fine workmanlike job of portraying the drama and trauma of serving in 'The War To End All Wars'.

I loved this series and didn't want it to end (not the war, I was well ready for it to end, but not the acquaintances with these phenomenal women). This series is brilliantly told and performed. It is the story of five real women who served the Australian and New Zealand war effort as nurses, researched through their journals and letters, at the time. The actors fully embody their characters and win our hearts. From the fledgling excitement of their new postings to the decent into the midst of the horrors of war, their tales are told. Greg Haddrick, Executive Producer, summed up this 6 hour limited TV series rather nicely, "...after watching it you have experienced the pointlessness of war and are left with a feeling that human compassion and decency toward each other is more important than many other things in life." I can't speak highly enough of this production, it just did everything right. I give it a 10 (brilliant) out of 10. {Historical War Drama}

An excellent series sharing the stories and experience of the amazing ANZAC nurses. Each episode has a focus on a particular nurse and her experience of the war - whether it be adventure, romance, opportunity, the depths of grief or the sheer exhaustion of nursing the wounded day after day. It provides an important insight into the essential work of these women who put their lives on the line in so many ways. I was particularly inspired by the story of Sister Olive Haynes and her great generosity of spirit, commitment to serve and big heart for all the men she cared for. Matron Wilson, too, was an exceptional woman who demonstrated inspirational leadership, compassion and determination in the face of enormous hardship and challenge. A very moving series, well acted - a great Aussie production we can be proud to watch.

Have so far thoroughly enjoyed this offering of nurses serving in World War I. The emphasis on their personal lives has meant that it has not been necessary to dwell on the actual battle scenes and the horrors that entailed. Was hard to follow who was who in the first two episodes but it became a lot clearer after that. The development of the relationships over the episodes means it is a continuing story rather than just an episodic one and this has kept us waiting for the next chapter (episode). We will be sorry to see this excellent period drama end next week at episode 6. This has been a sterling effort by the producers and an ensemble cast using minimal sets and sometimes ordinary outdoor settings. The series also gives an insight to how the allied armies behaved in that conflict.

ANZAC Girls provides insight into two historical dramas that need more of our attention: World War I and the women from all nations who served therein. This series is an attempt at a true account of the trials of a group of ANZAC nurses providing heroic aid and comfort to soldiers while dealing with the loves, losses, and true friendships that color thier lives. The series is heartbreaking and uplifting at once, leaving us so impressed by the courage of these women. It has long been my contention that nurses are angels on earth, and this series reinforces my contention. Writing, action, and production are all first-rate.