Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero

Introductory activities

Although written for Year 7 students, this unit deals with a number of complex issues; you may find that certain activities are beyond some students’ capacity. Use your discretion when deciding how to approach the work in your class context. Some elements could also be adapted to other year levels and learning areas (e.g. History).

Reading the Foreword

Begin by asking students to read the Foreword to Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero. This will introduce them to the subject of the book: Captain Reginald ‘Reg’ Saunders MBE.

NOTE: The Foreword was written by Lieutenant General David Morrison AO. In addition to serving as Australia’s Chief of Army (he retired in 2015), Morrison was also named the 2016 Australian of the Year in recognition of his commitment to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Cohesive writing is writing that links together well. It guides the reader carefully through a text so that the meaning is clear and easily understood. Cohesive writing can be achieved through the use of four techniques:

1. conjunctions
2. words that refer to each other (reference)
3. words that go together
4. use of topic sentences in paragraphs

The following activities are not about exploring Morrison’s cohesive devices for their own sake, but rather to see how he uses lexical chains and embeds important ideas in his topic sentences to build a profile of Reg.

Activity 1

Once students have read the Foreword, they should form pairs or small groups to discuss what sort of profile of Reg they think Morrison was trying to build. They should also express a view on how successful he has been in doing this.

Activity 2

Students should read the first sentence in each paragraph (i.e. the topic sentence) and identify the words that they think express the important ideas. For example, the description of Reg as a ‘soldier’s soldier’ at the start of para. 2 gives direction to the text that follows.

Ask students to write a list of the words they have identified. Then, in pairs or small groups, they should discuss what qualities these words express and the overall profile of Reg that they create.

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Establishing background

It is likely that your students will be familiar with the terms ‘Aboriginal’, ‘Indigenous’, and ‘First Nations’. Depending on their background and prior learning, however, they may only have a broad understanding of what these terms mean. Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero provides only a brief explanation of Reg’s background. Therefore, as a starting point for this unit, it would be informative to show students the trailer for the documentary series First Australians (2008).

To support this viewing, ask students to look closely at the AIATSIS map of Indigenous Australia. This shows that the continent was occupied by many different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nations for many thousands of years prior to colonisation. Challenge students with the fact that contemporary Australia has been imposed upon a more ancient Australia. You could also explore the Gambay First Languages map, which has its own teacher’s notes.

Have students enlarge the map until they can identify the lands of the Gunditjmara people, to which Reg belongs, in the south-west corner of the modern state of Victoria.

Starting in the late 18th century, and continuing throughout the 19th century, white colonists moved out over the lands of Australia’s First Peoples. The latter resisted the invasion but were overpowered by force of arms. This led to dispossession and the severe disruption of First Nations societies and cultures, the effects of which are still ongoing.

Ask students to read Tom Cowie and Jackson Graham’s 2021 Age article, about the Yoo-rrook Justice Commission and truth-telling in Victoria, as a way of engaging with this history. Explain that, after the frontier fighting, the Gunditjmara people were moved to the Lake Condah Mission. Ask them to do some research on the mission to provide more context for the book.

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Researching military campaigns

Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero deals with the various military campaigns in which Reg was involved, beginning with Operation Compass in North Africa. Assign small groups of students one of the following campaigns to research:

There is plenty of information online about the World War II campaigns in which Australian soldiers fought. Much of this material is quite dense; you may need to guide students to make judicious selection of sources, as well as to make notes using a retrieval chart (PDF, 74KB).

Groups will present their findings using Prezi, PowerPoint, or similar.

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Learning about army structure

The book makes many references to the constituent elements of an army (regiment, battalion, brigade, company, platoon, etc.). Students should research the structure of the Australian Army to make more sense of the units in which Reg served. They should also note the rank of the officers in charge of each unit. For example, after his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, Reg takes charge of a platoon (p. 46).

Students do not need a deep understanding of this information, although their research will give them a general sense of the units in which Reg fought throughout his career.

Looking at the cover

Front covers serve as an important introduction to any book. They are designed to attract readers and provide some information about the contents of the book itself.

Students are to complete a visual literacy three-level guide (PDF, 106KB) as a way of thinking and recording their learnings about the front cover of Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero. Refer to the sample responses (PDF, 92KB) for additional scaffolding.

It would be helpful to preface this exercise with some explicit teaching of visual literacy metalanguage (PDF, 76KB).

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Personal response on reading the text

The following activities could be completed individually, in pairs, or in small groups, in the form of a writing exercise, journal reflection, or discussion.

• Many families in Australia have a connection with the military, either directly through relatives who have served or are currently serving in the Australian Defence Force (ADF), OR indirectly through exposure to commemorations like Anzac Day. Ask students to find out about and discuss their own family’s experiences of military service.
  • NOTE: Be mindful that many people living in Australia have trauma related to war or persecution. It is essential that you understand your class context so you can approach this topic sensitively and modify where appropriate.
• Ask students to visit the Australian War Memorial website to look for information about family members who have served since the 1860s.
• Students may be interested to know that the Australian War Memorial curated an exhibition in 2021 – For Country, For Nation – that highlighted the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicepeople. It may be worth reading or discussing some of the themes from this exhibition.
• Ask students to reflect on how the book is positioning them to respond to the representation of Reg. Have them explain whether they think they are responding to this representation in a positive way (i.e. are they prepared to be an ideal reader of the book and its subject?).
  • If appropriate, you could also discuss the dangers of misrepresentation and how this (along with mis- or disinformation) can shape what people think and feel. The doctrine of terra nullius is a good illustration of this.
• Encourage students to research more about Reg’s life and share their findings with the rest of the class.

Activities while reading

• Introduce some of the elements of graphic novels (e.g. panels, gutters, print narration, supporting images, speech balloons, motion lines). Students may benefit from watching a video like ‘What is a Graphic Novel?’ or reading p. 6 of Scholastic’s graphic novel discussion guide (p. 7 in the overall document). You can then choose a sequence of panels from Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero, identify which elements have been used, and discuss how each one contributes to the overall meaning of the sequence.
• Select a new series of panels. Ask students to read just the words (in the square boxes) and explain what they have learned. Next, ask them to look at the images and determine what can be learned from those. Finally, ask students to think about how the words and images work together. Do the images simply illustrate what the words tell us? Do they offer different information? Do the words and images work together to create a cohesive text?
• Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero is reminiscent of a war movie: it places specific human participants (namely Reg) within the narrative of several momentous military campaigns over a period of five years. Ask students to imagine that the book is a storyboard for a war movie. Do they think that the changes of time and place, and the transition from panels showing dramatic action to those showing individual human beings, have been handled well?
• Ask students to reflect on how they read each panel. Different readers will pursue different reading paths. Some will read the words first, then the images, then perhaps return to the words. Others might start with the date at the top of the page/panel. Have students turn and talk to compare their reading approach with a partner.
• Graphic novels have a particular rhythm created by the juxtaposition of static and dynamic Ask students to identify examples of static and dynamic images in Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero, and explain how their placement in relation to each other creates a sense of movement or rhythm. Also consider whether this effect is achieved more by the words or the images.

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Outline of key elements of the text

Structure

Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero contains three important elements that tell one man’s story against a complex historical backdrop. The text boxes provide essential information for the reader to understand the sequence of events, which span several years, but it is the images that bring the language to life. They will likely carry greater emotional weight than the text. There is also text within the images, usually presented in speech or thought balloons. This helps to define the characters who are speaking/thinking, as well as providing more information about the situation at hand. In addition to representational images, there are several maps and diagrams that help the reader make sense of the movement of troops over large distances in different theatres of war. The dates at the top of each page/panel also contribute to the cohesion of the text.

Because this is a story about war, students will inevitably encounter depictions of violence (e.g. combat on the Greek island of Crete, pp. 15–20). These are neither graphic nor gratuitous. The authors, Hugh Dolan and Adrian Threlfall, have been careful to intersperse the action scenes with quieter moments that slow the rhythm and give readers a chance to reflect on the meaning of the conflict, as well as to focus on significant characters. This pattern of shifting from large-scale action to more static scenes of politicians, military planning, or other relevant individuals continues throughout the book.

Direct students to read p. 14 and answer the following questions:

1. What information do you gain from the top left panel? Who is the figure gesticulating and apparently shouting? What orders do you think he is giving to the other men in uniform?
2. Did your reading path take you to the next panel on the right? Panels in illustrated stories generally represent a movement forward in time (unless the author wants to include a flashback). How much time has elapsed between these two panels? How did you fill in the gaps in the story?
3. Who is the figure in the foreground of the top right panel? How does his dialogue, contained in the speech balloon, help readers to understand the situation?
4. The next panel shows a German air base with paratroopers and transport planes. What is the effect of the vectors created by the row of planes? In what direction are the paratroopers looking (apart from those in the foreground), and what is significant about this? What is the meaning of the orange colour used in this panel?
5. What purpose does the map of Crete serve?
6. What point of view is used in the bottom panel? Where is the viewer located? In cinematic terms, this is a long shot. What effect does this produce? Do you think it is successful?

Now ask students to examine pp. 14–15 as a double-page spread and complete the following activities:

• Discuss how each panel on p. 14 contributes to the reader’s understanding of what happens on the next page. Notice the time sequence given by the dates. Also notice the narrative flow from Adolf Hitler giving orders in the top left panel, to the map of Crete that sets the scene, to the long shot of intense action at the bottom.
• Consider what is significant about the fact that, across the five panels on p. 14, only one character (Major-General Freyberg) is given a speech balloon.
• The fairly static images on p. 14 give way to a large panel on p. 15 showing large-scale fighting. Model how to analyse this panel, then have students unpack and describe what is happening in any of the panels on pp. 16–20. An example has been provided below:

Plot

Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero is a non-fiction text based on historical events from World War II and the life of one significant Australian: Reg Saunders, the first Aboriginal soldier to be commissioned as an officer in the Australian Army.

It could be argued that Reg’s personal story follows a typical narrative structure, with an orientation, complication, resolution, and coda. Ask students to identify these plot points in Reg’s life as it is presented in the book.

Reg’s story ends on a relatively high note, though there are significant silences in the text regarding the status of First Nations peoples in Australia, both during Reg’s lifetime and beyond. This broader story is far from over.

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Characters

NOTE: Since Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero is a record of real events, the word ‘character’ has been used interchangeably with ‘figure’ or ‘person’.

This book has a huge cast of characters, as the story spans the length of World War II and beyond. The focus throughout, however, remains on Reg. Most of the other characters belong to a hierarchy of military importance as follows:

Ask students what they know about historical figures such as Churchill, Hitler, and Mussolini. They may need to do some basic research here. They should also look up former Australian Prime Ministers Curtin and Robert Menzies, plus FDR, all of whom appear later in the story.

Draw students’ attention to any text that accompanies images of these leaders, underscoring its importance in contextualising the situation. They can then analyse the illustrator’s representation of said leaders. This could be done in pairs, with each pair focusing on a single panel. Guiding questions for this exercise are suggested below:

• How closely does the illustration match the person’s actual appearance? What is he wearing? What expression does he have on his face? Can readers make a judgement about the sort of person he is from his appearance?
• What is the person doing? How is this significant to the overall structure of the book?
• Where is the person located? Is this significant?
• What connection, if any, might the reader have with this person? Are they placed at eye level or above/below the reader? Are they placed in front of the viewer or at an angle?
• Is colour used in a distinctive way? What meaning could this have?
• Which element in the panel is most important: the words in the text box, the image, or (if applicable) the words within the image itself?

NOTE: The artwork for the book is credited to Deveo Media Studio, with pencil and inks by Adrian Barbu. To avoid confusion with the main contributors (Dolan and Threlfall), this resource will continue to use ‘the illustrator’ as a general term of reference.

Once students have analysed their assigned panel, they can write a short paragraph explaining how they have ‘read’ the person involved. A sample analysis of Churchill and Menzies (p. 26) has been provided (PDF, 77KB).

Students can also examine panels that feature officers and/or soldiers, and apply their understanding of how images are constructed to unpack their representation. Samples have been provided below:

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Themes

• Australian military history
• colonialism and settlement
• family
• First Nations histories
• heroism
• mateship
• racism and race relations
• war

Synthesising task

Prepare for this task ahead of time by creating a simple comic strip. Canva and Adobe offer free editable templates. You will need three versions of your comic:

1. The complete version with all text and images
2. An image-only version (no text)
3. A text-only version (no images)

Students will then form pairs to complete the following activities:

Once each student has completed their comic strip, they will share their work with their partner and explain the decisions they have made.

Finish by distributing the original version of the comic so students can compare their work with the source material.

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The writer’s craft

Structure

A hero’s journey?

The title of the book suggests a hero’s journey narrative structure. Students will be familiar with this type of narrative from popular texts such as The Lord of the Rings series, the Star Wars franchise, and the epic poem Beowulf.

There are three main ‘acts’ in the hero’s journey:

Complete the following activities as a class:

• Ask students whether they think Reg’s story follows the basic structure of a hero’s journey.
• Ask them to identify events in the book that might correspond with the three acts of the hero’s journey.
• The conventional hero’s journey ends with a sense of triumph over adversity and/or personal weakness. Ask students to consider whether Reg’s story has been framed this way. While it does resemble a hero’s journey in many respects, Reg was ultimately denied land by the Government and thus continued to face discrimination despite his service to the nation. A lively discussion may ensue here, so encourage students to support their views with evidence from the text.
• Ask students if they can think of any other Indigenous figures whose stories reflect elements of a hero’s journey. These figures could be local (e.g. Pairrebeenne/Trawlwoolway leader Mannalargenna) or international (e.g. Hunkpapa Lakota holy man Sitting Bull, Zulu king Cetshwayo). You may need to make some suggestions to get the discussion started.

NOTE: The hero’s journey actually consists of 12–17 stages (divided across the three acts), not all of which are present in Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero. Students may still find it interesting, however, to explore how these stages align with the trajectory of Reg’s life.

A historical recount?

Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero combines features from two different text types: the historical recount and the biography. Dolan and Threlfall have written a broad account of historical events from World War II (and beyond), and inserted into this the personal story of one specific individual.

As a class, read some examples of historical recounts (you can find a couple on pp. 11–12 of this document). Identify and list the structural and language features (PDF, 98KB) of these recounts on the whiteboard. Then have pairs of students read a few pages from Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero and decide whether they conform to the class list. They should consider the following:

• Dolan and Threlfall often use verbs in the present tense rather than the past tense. Why do students think the authors have done this? Do they think that this departure from convention is successful?
• The cohesion of a historical recount depends on the clear signalling of time and place using adverbs, circumstances, and clauses. Working individually or in pairs, students can identify these features in a sequence of five or so pages from the book. You may need to deliver a short grammar lesson so that students know to look for. They may be surprised to discover how often the text begins with an adverb, a circumstance of time or place, or clauses expressing time and place (see adverbial clauses). How successful do they think Dolan and Threlfall have been in writing a cohesive recount of events?
• What visual elements support and complement the text? Examples include the use of maps; action scenes that complement verbs (e.g. the charging soldiers at the top of p. 20), speech balloons containing commands that help explain a complex series of events; and so on.

A biography?

As signalled by its title, the book focuses on Reg’s life and achievements. The recount of a person’s life is called a biography. This text type has a straightforward structure:

As was mentioned above, the account of Reg’s life is contained within the broader historical recount of military campaigns lasting from about 1940 until 1951. Discuss with students possible reasons for the authors taking this approach. Do they think this approach has been successful? Ask them to explain their reasoning.

Students can extract information about Reg’s personal story using a vertical timeline (PDF, 79KB).

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Approach to characterisation

The role of processes in constructing character

Explain to students that characters in a story (and real people in a historical recount or biography) can be partly constructed by the processes that the author (and illustrator) assign to them.

Introduce the main types of processes and discuss with students what character is likely to be created by each:

Ask students to scan the text and identify the verbs (i.e. the processes) that are most often associated with Reg. You could assign pairs of students a few pages each to cover more ground more quickly. They can then share their findings with the rest of the class. Record and display their ideas (e.g. on a whiteboard).

Now decide what sort of person Reg has been constructed as: is he a do-er (what does he do)? A thinker (what does he think about)? A sayer (what does he say)? What other qualities does he possess and/or how is he identified?

Finally, jointly write a paragraph explaining how Reg’s character has been constructed by processes. Here is a possible beginning:

Reg Saunders is associated with a large number of doing verbs. These include working, playing sports, hunting, fishing and exploring (p. 6). As a soldier, of course, he is also associated with the activities of war, including shooting (p. 19), charging (p. 20), moving silently (p. 42) and so on. However, a person who only acts would be very one-dimensional. Therefore, Dolan and Threlfall have also associated Reg with some thinking and saying verbs to give him an inner life. These include not wanting to surrender to the Germans (p. 25), or disagreeing with the Army’s decision not to accept Aboriginal volunteers in the BCOF (p. 48).

Positioning the reader to adopt a particular attitude

Dolan, Threlfall, and the illustrator position readers to adopt a particular attitude towards Reg. Use the following framework to analyse how words and images are deployed to construct a positive representation in the book.

If needed, revise the metalanguage of visual literacy (Initial Response > Introductory Activities > Looking at the Cover). Then ask students to fill in the table with examples from the book. Suggested words and images include (but are not limited to):

Once they have completed this exercise, students can share and explain their choices with the rest of the class. This will hopefully generate some robust discussion.

Tracking Reg’s representation in images

Below is a selection of images that track Reg’s growth from young soldier to elder statesman. Students should study the sample analyses provided. Then, using the metalanguage of visual literacy, they should unpack the remaining images. This could be done individually or as a class.

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Point of view

Reg’s personal story is embedded within a historical recount. The third-person narrator gives readers an objective account of the military campaigns in which Reg was involved, but also maintains a strong focus on his subjective experiences, moving between the broad picture of history and Reg’s place within it. The narrator’s aim is to present Reg as an individual within large groups of men. There are many references to his ‘mates’ (e.g. Mick Baxter) early in the story, emphasising his acceptance in the Army; as the story progresses, however, the references give way to terms like ‘platoon’ or ‘unit’, reflecting Reg’s developing status as a leader of men.

The artwork also encourages readers to identify strongly with Reg. Scenes with his family (pp. 5, 7, 36, 37, 38, 50) are designed to produce an emotional response, though the use of long shots does tend to reduce the viewer’s involvement. As with third-person narration, the effect is to offer Reg to their gaze rather than to produce a connection. The images on the last couple of pages (pp. 51–52), while still denying contact with the viewer, nevertheless represent Reg’s personal growth and elevation to the status of statesman.

Interestingly, there are a few panels that locate the viewer behind Reg and encourage identification with his point of view:

• 10, bottom left (Reg and Mick taking photos in Alexandria)
• 10, bottom right (Reg punching the racist British soldier)
• 28, top right (Reg watching the German search party)

There is no doubt that the book represents Reg in a very positive light. Like any human, he had his failings, but they are not mentioned in this story. This is presumably because the authors anticipated that a story about the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicepeople would circulate in broader conversations about First Nations peoples in contemporary Australian society.

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Voice

There are many voices in this story. Speech is contained in balloons, helping to make the information in the text boxes more vivid and immediate. Some of the voices, such as those of senior politicians and military strategists, simply elaborate on the conduct of war or specific battles. More demotic speech is assigned to the ordinary soldiers, like Reg, to create a sense of authenticity.

On p. 48, Reg denounces the Army and Government’s decision not to allow Aboriginal volunteers to join the BCOF. This is a lengthier statement than any other Reg has made up to this point, marking a turning point in his growing political consciousness.

Students should look for examples of significant things Reg says throughout the book, OR significant things other characters say about him.

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Language and style

Nominalisation

In linguistics, nominalisation is the process of turning verbs (or adjectives) into nouns or noun phrases. This can shift the focus from the person responsible for an action, to the action itself. There are several examples of nominalisation in Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero:

Ask students to consider why the authors might have made this decision. Perhaps they wanted to emphasise the violent reality of war by foregrounding certain words over others.

Passive voice

Dolan and Threlfall also occasionally use the passive voice. Look at the following examples:

• 10, top right (Anthony Eden being sent to Athens)
• 10, middle right (General Thomas Blamey being informed of a new order)
• 14, top right (Major-General Bernard Freyberg VC being placed in command)
• 27, bottom (Crete being surrendered)
• 35, top (telegrams being exchanged between Churchill, Roosevelt and Curtin)

What might the authors have wanted to achieve by using the passive voice? It is often used to foreground an important participant, but it can also disguise who is responsible for an action. Ask students what they think the motive is in each case.

Noun groups

Dolan and Threlfall pack a lot of information into the text, often using noun groups (PDF, 75KB). Look at the following example from p. 31; note how much information is contained in the post-modifying clauses after the head word ‘casualties’:

7 division suffers hundreds of casualties, [including Harry Saunders and his best mate Alan Avery], [who are wounded] [when a grenade explodes nearby].

It would be a useful exercise for students to find other noun groups and unpack them to uncover their structure.

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Setting

There are many settings in Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero, ranging from the bush near Portland in southwest Victoria to the major battlefields of World War II. In a traditional novel, setting is created through the use of descriptive language. A graphic novel, however, illustrates the setting panel by panel, producing a cinematic effect. Dramatic and violent battle scenes are juxtaposed with static images that show politicians speaking, officers planning, and ordinary soldiers relaxing with their comrades.

The main settings in the book are:

• battlegrounds
• scenes displaying the materiel of war (e.g. landing craft, aircraft, convoys)
• indoor scenes focusing on politicians and military strategists
• scenes showing Reg with his comrades
• scenes showing Reg with his family (especially his brother and/or father)
• scenes showing how Reg and his family are treated by white Australians

The illustrator uses a range of strategies to create an appropriate setting or background for each image. These include:

• the use of colour, ranging from black and white to highly saturated
• the degree of context provided
• the amount of detail given
• the depth of perspective
• the play of light and shade

A selection of settings from the book have been listed below. Model how to unpack the first two, then ask students to work through the rest individually or in pairs. Sample responses have been provided (PDF, 55KB).

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Text and meaning

Exploration of themes and ideas

Year 7 students might find it difficult to identify the themes in Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero. They will certainly be able to say that the book is about war and soldiers, or about a war hero called Reg Saunders. However, you may need to explain that these are really the subjects of the book rather than its themes.

Themes are the main ideas or issues that emerge from what we focus on as readers. Some readers will focus on the heroism of the Australian soldiers, while others might concentrate on the ingrained racism in Australian society. Suggest that students can identify themes by identifying conflicts in the story. For example, the brawl with the British soldiers (pp. 10–11) could signal a fairly obvious theme – racism – but also the loyalty and friendship between Reg and his mates in the Army.

The following themes, once identified, should be a rich source of discussion in the classroom. Some are more complex/sensitive than others and should only be explored in a whole class context, with teacher guidance. These are:

Having explored these ideas under supervision, students can break into smaller groups to unpack the remaining themes. This should produce some close reading of the book itself.

Each of these themes offers scope for further investigation. Students could do some research to broaden their knowledge and understanding of these issues beyond what is presented in the book.

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Meaning in context

Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero is the story of an exceptional man who achieved great things in his lifetime, despite the constraints and prejudice levelled at him. It is also, more broadly, a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicepeople. This gives the text an enduring relevance as Australia continues to grapple with reconciliation, truth-telling, and the need for meaningful representation and participation of First Nations peoples at all levels of society, now and into the future.

Synthesising task

Ask students to imagine that the Australian War Memorial has approached them to write Reg’s biography. They should already have some notes from their work to date, but further research may be required.

The context for this task is as follows:

Keep in mind that Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero is a secondary source that has been written by two non-Indigenous people. Without primary source material from Reg himself, he has no say or influence in how his story is told. It may be worthwhile discussing the difference between primary and secondary sources, and the pitfalls of writing a biography using only the latter. You should also present students with a way to access primary source material; the following websites contain recordings and/or quotes from Reg himself:

• Australian War Memorial – Reg Saunders interviewed by Peter Read for the Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia
• Anzac Portal – Reginald Walter Saunders
• Wikipedia – Reg Saunders

Students might like to follow a structure like the one below:

You should also remind students to:

• Use action verbs to convey what Reg did
• Use the past tense (e.g. ‘he went’, ‘he trained’, ‘he fought’)
• Use time signals to talk about Reg’s life and achievements (e.g. ‘first’, ‘then’, ‘after that’)
• Use cause and effect signals (e.g. ‘because’, ‘as a result’, ‘led to’)

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Ways of reading the text

Different perspectives/theoretical approaches

Postcolonial theory is a way of analysing literature from countries that were once colonies (usually of European powers). This experience inevitably changes both the colonists and the colonised peoples in profound ways; postcolonial theory explores these changes in depth.

In Australia, colonisation is ongoing because the coloniser has not departed (Wiradyuri writer Anita Heiss has explored this at length in ‘Post-Colonial – NOT!’). Despite systemic attempts at cultural erasure by successive colonial governments, First Nations peoples continue to celebrate and practice their culture, and are working hard to revive that which has been disrupted (e.g. there have been language revitalisation efforts to combat the effects of assimilation, which disrupted the transference of cultural knowledge).

First Nations peoples have suffered oppression, the attempted erasure of their cultures, and the invasion of their Country. Indeed, until the High Court of Australia overturned the doctrine of Terra Nullius (‘nobody’s land’) as a result of its judgement in the Mabo case in 1992, the continent was widely and strategically misrepresented as uninhabited prior to the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788.

Why, then, would young First Nations men volunteer to fight in the Australian Army? Remember that Reg’s father Chris, and his uncle William Rawlings, fought in World War I; in fact, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have served in every major conflict since Federation.

The following articles may shed some light on this question:

• Australian War Memorial – Indigenous Defence Service
• Anzac Portal – Indigenous Australians in service during World War II
• Deadly Story – ANZAC Day & Aboriginal Service People

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Comparison with other texts

Versions of the text in other modes, media and contexts

480 (2012), presented by Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal actor Luke Carroll, was a series of mini-documentaries that celebrated important milestones for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The final instalment premiered shortly after Anzac Day in 2012, focusing on Reg and his philosophy of hard work. If your school has access to ClickView you can watch this episode with students – it is only eight minutes (or 480 seconds) long.

Other versions of Reg’s life are contained in short videos like Untold Stories, produced by BushTV, and Stories of Service, produced by the Australian Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

NOTE: You may also come across a short film about Reg’s brother Harry: Harry’s War (1999). The film was produced by Gunditjmara playwright and scriptwriter Richard Frankland, who is also Reg and Harry’s nephew (his mother, Christina Saunders, was their sister). A few clips are available online via Australian Screen and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia; schools with ClickView access can watch the whole film.

Genre

The illustrated book belongs to a family of texts that includes comics, picture books, and graphic novels. The word ‘comics’ often evokes images of superheroes fighting supervillains, but English language comics have their origins in 19th-century European cartoon strips. American comics emerged in the early 20^th century; it wasn’t until Superman’s first appearance in 1938 that the superhero genre rose to fame.

The aesthetic features of comic books were appropriated by writers and artists with more serious intentions; Alan Moore’s Watchmen (1986–87) and Art Spiegelman’s Maus (1980–1991) have both received critical acclaim. Manga (Japanese comics/graphic novels) have also exploded in popularity: in 2021, they accounted for 76% of all comics and graphic novel sales in the US.

Picture books (for both younger and older readers) are also enormously popular. In these books, images and words work together to tell a story. Sometimes there are no words at all; Shaun Tan’s The Arrival is an excellent example of a story told through illustration alone. There are also illustrated editions of many classic and popular novels, such as E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, or J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings series.

As an illustrated non-fiction book, Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero shares many of the features of these other forms. Perhaps the most important element is the text boxes accompanying each panel. Readers can understand Reg’s story without the illustrations, but it is the illustrations that enhance the story and give it a more cinematic appeal.

Illustrated books are sometimes criticised for ‘dumbing down’ readers. This attitude is completely misplaced. Illustrated books provide a way into print texts for those who may otherwise not read anything at all. They promote literacy across a range of students, from advanced readers to reluctant readers (especially boys). For EAL/D learners and students with diverse learning needs, the illustrations can provide contextual clues to the meaning of the written text. Illustrated books promote critical reading skills and attract and motivate all children (and adults!) to read. The best of these books have just as much linguistic and cultural complexity as traditional novels. They should be on the shelves of every school library in Australia.

Other texts using similar approaches or dealing with similar ideas

Military heroes around the world have been honoured in writing for millennia. In Australia, the achievements of our great soldiers (e.g. Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop, Peter Cosgrove) are easily accessible through their biographies. And of course, one of the Australian War Memorial’s primary functions is to record the names and exploits of all those who served their country. Reg’s story is part of this tradition.

The comic strip has proved to be a popular medium for telling the story of various military campaigns. The Gallipoli Campaign (1915), in which Allied forces attempted to defeat the Ottoman Empire, has been a rich source of material for comic books and strips. Students could search for examples of the Gallipoli Campaign in comics; Gallipoli: The Landing is another ‘history comic’ from the publisher of Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero, and is also authored by Hugh Dolan.

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Evaluation of the text

Representative of Australian culture

Dolan and Threlfall have each authored books that explore, wholly or in part, the Gallipoli Campaign: 36 Days, Gallipoli Air War (both by Dolan), and Jungle Warriors (Threlfall). This campaign was very important to the birth of the Anzac tradition and was considered a ‘baptism of fire’ for the colonised nation of Australia. Both authors also have military experience, as stated in their profiles at the front of Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero (pp. 2–3). They obviously subscribe to the idea that the Australian Army is an important institution.

Through Reg’s story, Dolan and Threlfall bring together two important themes: the proud history of Australia’s defence forces, and the appalling treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Even today, there are commentators and policymakers who deny the atrocities committed against First Nations peoples from 1788 onwards; former Prime Minister John Howard, among others, has criticised those who take a ‘black armband’ view of Australian history.

Students can do their own research about First Nations history, both pre- and post-1788, on an appropriate website. They can also read about such events as:

• The 1967 Referendum
• The Mabo Native Title Decision (1992)
• The Stolen Generations:
  • The Bringing Them Home report (1997)
  • The National Apology (2008)
• Closing the Gap
• The Uluru Statement from the Heart (2017)

Dolan and Threlfall acknowledge some of the injustices Reg and his family faced, such as his exclusion from the Soldier Settlement Scheme (p. 51). Students may be shocked to learn that while returned white servicemen were given blocks carved out of Gunditjmara land, Reg – a Gunditjmara man – was not. There are references on pp. 48–49 to discrimination against Aboriginal tenants, and a nod to a news report that highlighted Reg’s living situation at the time: ‘the only home that a war hero and his family could find’.

Overall, however, the book focuses on celebrating the achievements of an exceptional individual and the role of the Australian Army in facilitating those achievements. There is a strong sense of ‘mateship’ among Reg and his comrades. This word essentially means ‘solidarity among men’, but in the Army it has a deeper meaning: a relationship of total trust in one’s comrades, particularly in the heat of battle. Mateship is a uniquely Australian concept that goes beyond mere friendship to convey a shared experience and unequivocal trust.

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Synthesising task

The action in a graphic novel moves quickly from panel to panel. The reader must fill in any gaps in the story that are not explicitly addressed so that they can make sense of the overall narrative.

Students will choose a scene from Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero and speculate on what might have happened in the gap between panels. For example, on p. 43, we see Reg standing at attention before an interview panel. What might have happened, and what might have been said, at this interview?

For their chosen scene, students will illustrate three to four new panels. They should insert text boxes to provide additional information, and show the characters’ thoughts and speech in balloons (if applicable).

If students are not confident in their artistic skills, they can use stick figures and write a short explanation of how they want the scene to look.

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Synthesising task

Preamble

The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) connects people from all over the country with First Nations histories, knowledges, and cultures. It as an important organisation that maintains a collection of culturally significant objects; facilitates and publishes Indigenous-led research; and manages the return of cultural heritage to Traditional Custodians. It also offers a range of curriculum resources centred around cultural safety, and a guide to evaluating and selecting educational resources for non-Indigenous educators.

Task

Students will prepare a three-minute presentation to be delivered as part of AIATSIS’ schools program. The goal is to educate school students about one or more aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories. Students may choose to explore any of the following ideas/issues:

• the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nations
• the denial of citizenship to First Nations peoples until the 1967 referendum
• the ways in which First Nations peoples have been dispossessed of their land
• the attempted erasure of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures
• the contributions of First Nations servicepeople throughout history
• key moments in Australia’s truth-telling/reconciliation journey

Be mindful of any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in your class and how these topics may affect their wellbeing. For advice on establishing a culturally safe learning environment and leading students safely in and safely out of sensitive material, see Reading Australia’s teaching resources for The Yield and Ghost Bird.

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Rich assessment task 1: responding

Preamble

On p. 5 of Reg Saunders: An Indigenous War Hero, we learn that Reg comes from a long line of Aboriginal warriors. Presumably, this line stretches back before Federation, but we do not receive any more information about who these warriors were and how they defended their lands.

Students should research First Nations warriors who resisted the encroachment of white colonists. Famous names include Pemulwuy, Windradyne, Yagan, Jandamarra, Mannalargenna and Tongerlongeter, but students will learn about others in the course of their research.

In New Zealand and North America, Indigenous warriors are officially acknowledged as having fought for their land against invading forces. It is only as recently as 2022 that the Australian War Memorial announced plans to expand recognition of the Frontier Wars (1788 through to the 1930s). This is still a work in progress.

Task

Write a letter to the Chair of the Australian War Memorial expressing support for the idea that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander warriors who fought in the Frontier Wars should be honoured in the same way as soldiers who fought overseas.

Choose TWO Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander warriors, give their background and reasons for fighting, and explain why you think they should be honoured at the Australian War Memorial.

There are many helpful guides to writing a persuasive argument, but the following structure for writing a letter will help to scaffold your writing:

1. An opening comment (e.g. ‘It’s about time the Australian War Memorial acknowledged the First Nations heroes of the Frontier Wars in Australia’)
2. A thesis (state your case)
3. Argument 1 (your first point and supporting information)
4. Argument 2 (as above for your second point)
5. Argument 3 (as above for your third point)
6. Re-state your thesis

Your letter should be 300–500 words long.

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Rich assessment task 2: creating

Preamble

The 1915 Gallipoli Campaign has achieved mythic status in Australia. Although it ended in a military defeat, it has since been framed as the moment when the colonised nation of Australia was forged in the heat of battle. It has been immortalised in many texts, including Peter Weir’s award-winning film Gallipoli (1981), and Ruth Starke and Greg Holfeld’s graphic novel An Anzac Tale (which introduces the Gallipoli Campaign to younger readers using iconic Australian animals).

Task

Do some research on either the Gallipoli Campaign (World War I) or the Kokoda Trail (World War II). Using what you have learned, write a script (about one to one-and-a-half pages long) for a sequence of panels from an upcoming illustrated book based on that campaign.

Your story must include two soldiers who are good mates: one white and one Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Once you have your script, illustrate the panels and add explanatory text boxes and speech/thought balloons.

If you need help getting started, watch cartoonist Gene Yang’s short video on creating a graphic novel. If you are not confident in your artistic skills, you can use stick figures and write a short explanation of how you want the panels to look.

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