Alfred’s War tells the little-known story of the long-standing contribution made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People who have fought in all of the wars that Australia has taken part in from the Boer War in 1899 to present day, through the eyes of a World War 1 veteran, Alfred. As a young man, Alfred signs up with the Army, anticipating a future ahead of adventure and travel. Surviving the horrors of the war, he returns to an Australian society that does not afford them the same rights as their white Australian compatriots, with many living an itinerant and destitute life. Poignant scenes delicately rendered in pencil and watercolour reveal Alfred’s journey, carrying a war injury, standing in the background at a town’s ANZAC service, and plagued by the memories of his fallen comrades.
This fictional account concludes with a brief but useful history of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Veterans. Rachel Bin Salleh is descended from the Nimunburr and Yawuru peoples of the Kimberley region of Western Australia, while Samantha Fry grew up in the Northern Territory and is descended from the Dagiman people from Katherine.
Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Resource
