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| Students asked: what does war mean to you? |
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TASMANIAN historian and Mornington resident Dr David Coombes wants to encourage a better understanding of the horrors of war and he is particularly concerned that young people understand war’s realities.
As a result he will donate a copy of his two published works to Eastern Shore primary schools if students write a 300-word summary of what war means to them. The competition is timely as we lead into Anzac Day 26 April 2008. Students up to Grade 6 are asked to write about what war means to them and send their entries to Eastern Shore Sun, GPO Box 1600 Hobart 7001 by 31 March. Dr Coombes, who was a mature age PhD student and who based his PhD thesis on Lieutenant-General Sir Leslie Morshead regarded as a hero of Tobruk and El Alamein, said he always had an interest in the war history. He said he was concerned that young people were often caught up in the glorification of war and perhaps didn’t understand much of war’s realities. “With Gallipoli for example, there is a lot of misunderstanding about the futility of the whole campaign. We were one of many in that war and indeed, very minor players. “Through this competition I am encouraging students to really think about what the realities of war mean to today’s youth,” Dr Coombes said. Two students can win for their school either his book Morshead on Sir Leslie Morshead or his latest published work, The Lionheart which is about Lieutenant-General Sir Talbot Hobbs who was an Australian Commander in World War 1 and regarded as Australia’s greatest soldier after Monash. Dr Coombes, who is an honorary research associate at the University of Tasmania, will also be conducting an introduction to Australia’s role in World War 1 in conjunction with Adult Education this semester. “Australians at War 1914-18 Myth and Reality’ will analyse famous battles such as Gallipoli and Bullecourt. “We will look at other lesser known battles such as Bullecourt where there were horrendous casualties and more than 1200 Australians captured,” Dr Coombes said. The four-week, two-hour sessions will be held at the University of Tasmania and start on Wednesday 12 March at 6pm. Registration (SJ5314) is through Adult Education.
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