Almanac Book Reviews: ‘Not Playing The Game – Sport and Australia’s Great War’ – Xavier Fowler
Book Review
Not Playing The Game: Sport and Australia’s Great War – Xavier Fowler
‘Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die’ – H. C. Hoover
The quote by Hoover is a powerful indictment about war, and undoubtably a theme author, historian Xavier Fowler was mindful of while writing this compelling and enlightening book, Not Playing The Game: Sport and Australia’s Great War recently published by Melbourne University Press.
In his book, Fowler examines sport from a historical perspective within the context of its envisioned role supporting the war effort during the Great War of 1914 – 18.
Fowler identifies and analyses the various means and ways sport could be utilised, and was utilised, and in particular how programs were devised, promoted and exploited by government, prominent entities, organisations, and individuals who ‘occupied key leadership roles in the political, civic, economic, and cultural life’. It was expected these programs to provide a catalyst to encourage the enlistment of young Australian men to serve their King and country, even to the extent of giving their lives on the battle field in their country’s perilous time of need. The success and failure of these programs and the surrounding endeavours directed towards the targeted audience depended upon the reaction of that cohort, and Fowler provides detailed evidence as to the success or not of the schemes.
On the 25th April of each year Australians and New Zealanders commemorate and remember their war dead, an event initiated after the ill-fated and distastrous campaign at Gallipolli in 1915. During the Great War, from a population of fewer than five million, over 400,000 Australian men enlisted, approximately 62,000 of them were to die on the battlefields or later from their injuries, and over 150,000 were wounded. At Gallipolli alone, nearly 10,000 soldiers were killed, and nearly 20,000 were wounded in the battle. As these figures suggest, Australia suffered significant casualities, soldiers needed to be replaced on the war front if our country was to maintain its commitment to the war effort in support of Great Britain. To replace the casualities from a dwindling resource, and how this was to be achieved became a priority for the government and its supporters, and this is a major focus of Fowler’s book. As many of the young men who enlisted in the war effort came from a sporting background, the authorities felt this an area to be utilised and exploited for appealing to the young men of Australia to serve their country and enlist.
A notion widely bandied around at the time ‘that the playing field was a potential training ground for a generation of imperial warriors became common in middle class sports, schools, and newspapers’ and was generally an acceptable assumption by those in power. They saw it as a means for exploitation, to encourage enlistment of young men in the war effort as Fowler points out so persuasively in the book. The assumption of the playing field, the men who played there, or supported and followed these activities was recognised as a means by which recruiters could focus their attention on, to raise interest levels, and to ultimately encourage and win over the minds of the young men of Australia to enlist in the war effort. These created ideals would be held up as aspirations for all young men to identify and empathise with.
However, as Fowler points out, not everyone came from a middle class background or accepted middle class values. Readers are persuasively enlightened to this fact, the issues arising from the many ideas and proposals generally came from a middle class point of view. However, the reaction and acceptance of them from a non-middle class perspective are clearly reflected by Fowler. In particular, he highlights how the conflict of ideology, class, and ethnic identity with regards to sport played a crucial role and often dictated loyalties and the degree of support given to the war effort.
This is a critical issue history has often overlooked or been ignorant of, and it is timely Fowler draws our attention to this issue. I must admit it opened my eyes as my impressions were young men clamoured over one another in their rush to sign up, and of their own free will to fight. But not every young man was as convinced or as keen to enlist as some were, and these were the men needing convincing and attention directed to. As Fowler points out, many young men saw enlisting as an adventure to see the world, have some fun, and be back home within a few months. History, of course, shows this was not so. And crucially, the perceptions many Australians hold of the ‘heroic bronzed Anzac’, is only part of the story.
While reading the book, it became apparent to me my lack of awareness of the information surrounding the amount of division and adverse reaction in the country at the time regarding the war effort. At school, in the media, and from official resources, the general public was presented with a sanitised version of the events undertaken both at home and on the war front, to the extent this viewpoint became entrenched and fundamental to our beliefs. And, as each Anzac Day commeration becomes grander, through parades, football matches and other related events, the true historical account of the events played out, both at home and on the war fronts, are increasingly diminishing to be replaced by a more elaborated and mythologised version of events we experience today.
With events such as the annual Anzac Day AFL matches drawing huge crowds and support, suggestions evoke a ‘growing apprehension that corporatized sport has appropriated the Anzac legend for its commercial and public relations value’. A similar apprehension was felt during the Great War by the conflict of ideology, class, and ethnic identity often dictated loyalties and the degree of support given to the war effort. Fowler provides a convincing and in-depth analysis of the role sport played in the Great War challenging the notion that sport unified the nation in wartime.
Fowler’s book is an excellent social documentary and commentary of the period of life in Australia surrounding The Great War, and is a welcome addition to the genre of war history. It covers all aspects of the debates and decisions of government surrounding the enlistment of young men in the war effort in support of the ‘Mother Country’, and the effects society encountered as a result. The book also enlightens readers with an opportunity to correct many of the pre-conceived perceptions ingrained into our pysche over generations about the role of sport during Australia’s war effort in the Great War, and to clarify many of the myths of the Anzac legend.
This is a fabulous book!
Details to purchase Not Playing the Game can be found HERE.
The media release about the book can be read HERE.
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About Colin Ritchie
Retired teacher who enjoys following the Bombers, listening to music especially Bob Dylan, reading, and swimming.
Excellent review.
Thanks Col.
Ta Col, good stuff. Did you see my review of this book back on November 19?
I found the book a good read. The Australia of that time is very different to the Australia of the 21st century.
Looking back then Australia became a very divided society as big parts of the populace refused to get drawn into wanting to fight & die in a ‘Great Trade War’. In a modern setting Anzac Day, April 25 is a bit of a lightning rod for interpretations of this ‘War to end all Wars’. I’m horrified hearing people talking about it as ‘Australia’s national day’, a day when we invaded another nation at behest of our imperial ‘masters’. When I was young Anzac Day was a solemn event, remembering those who’d fought & fallen. Nowadays instead of commemorating, we’re expected to celebrate this horrible event.
Do yourselves a favour, have a read of this book, think of the sacrifices made by those fighting for Australia, then ask why?
Glen!