Why 1917 Was The Worst Year Of Ww1

World War 1 was a devastating period for Australia and Australian’s alike. It was the costliest conflict that Australia has participated in throughout its history, with casualties, both fatal and non-fatal, one of the largest on a per capita basis of the allied nations. 1917 was an arduous year and has been described as “the worst year of the Great War”. There are many reasons why 1917 was a difficult year for all Australians but also why it was not “the worst year of the Great War”.

Australian troops, all volunteers, were tough, brave and highly valued in the war. This led to high demand for the Australian troops. During 1917, Australians could be found almost anywhere on the Western Front. There were many successful battles during 1917 including

However attritional and small the advances were in 1917, the Allies rejoiced that the Germans had been moved back through constant pressure. This would have restored some faith in the war effort and unlike the French troops, there was no outbreak of mutiny in Australian ranks. With the United States of America declaring war on Germany on the 6th of April 1917, the promise of reinforcements raised hopes and morale boosted.

Away from the Western Front, The Australian Light Horse Brigades had led numerous successful charges and advances in the Sinai and Palestine campaigns (Australian War Memorial, n.d.). The most famous successful charge was during the Battle of Beersheba. Many artworks depict the victory and struggle that the brave men endured. The Battle of Beersheba was believed to be one of the last major cavalry charges in history (Australian War Memorial, Beersheba n.d.). These battles were low in casualties in comparison to the campaign on the Western Front (World War 1,

As soldiers returned home missing limbs, many searched for a way to regain mobility that had been sacrificed to the war. It was organised that wooden limbs be manufactured and fitted in Australia for the limbless (A.G Butler, 1943). By exploring prosthetics during this period, it created founding designs and ideas for future exploration into prosthetic limbs. Moreover, the mental damage sustained from battles equipped psychologists with the tools to explore Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or ‘shell-shock’ as it was called (A.G Butler, 1943). The Australian Army Medical Services in the War of 1914 - 1918 describes the symptoms of men with ‘shell-chock’ in an