purple poppies – Dianne Wolfer

Anzac Day links for students

With Anzac Day approaching, here are links, trailers, worksheets and activities to help commemorate our veterans and war animals.

My YouTube channel has many clips, start here, book-trailers include Light Horse Boy and Lighthouse Girl, student’s trailers. Watch a Theatre 180 stage preview and song, and Destination WA Breaksea Island TV segment. You can see me reading The Last Light Horse high in the Snowy Mountains and hear reflective Covid Anzac Day thoughts at the Desert Mounted Corp Memorial. Or listen to a conversation about historical fiction with Elaine Forrestal.

Each book on my website has a dedicated page, with teaching activities, worksheets and story background information. Please also check out my blog. There are dozens of Anzac-linked posts. Try typing in book titles. For example, if you search In the Lamplight, you’ll find out about the wallaby and cockatoo living at Harefield Hospital during WWI. Or click the Anzac Category on blog sidebar to find Semaphore and Morse charts, interviews, Kokoda Track links to Photographs in the Mud, Purple Poppies, and the amazing 2015 The Giants street theatre event.

I hope these activities and links are helpful as we remember the courage and sacrifice of our veterans, their horses and animal mascots. Lest we forget.

Feb 24th: Wearing Purple Poppies for War Animals

Have you noticed people wearing purple poppies on February 24th or purple poppies beside their traditional red ones on Remembrance Day?

prelim. sketch for ‘Light Horse Boy’ by Brian Simmonds

Purple poppies commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of animals during wartime, and funds raised by sales of the pins helps The Australian War Animal memorial Organisation (AWAMO) establish memorials, train PTSD support dogs and care for retired animals that have served their country.

Thousands of horses, dogs and pigeons have accompanied Australian servicemen and women into battle while animal mascots including wallabies, cockatoos, cats and dogs have brought comfort to troops far from home.

Books honouring these animals include Anthony Hill’s Animal Heroes and Maria Gill ‘s ANZAC Animals, exploring the backstory of Australian and New Zealand war animals. Mark Wilson has created several picture books about war animals, including pigeon story, Flapper, VC. My book Light Horse Boy and Greenwood/Lessac’s Midnight, both follow WWI horses into battle. Meanwhile, Torty and the Soldier by Jennifer Beck and Fifi Colston celebrates a tortoise that went to war. A few other titles for teens and adults includes Horrie the War Dog , Bill the Bastard and Prince of Afghanistan. These are just a few titles, there are many more.

Here is a list of 58 Remembrance Day and Anzac Day picture books, and chapter books, many of which focus on wartime animals.

Lets not forget these brave heroes.

Wearing Purple Poppies for War Animals on Feb 24th

Have you noticed people wearing purple poppies on February 24th or purple poppies beside the traditional red ones on Anzac Day?

Books honouring some of these animals include Anthony Hill’s comprehensive Animal Heroes and Maria Gill ‘s ANZAC Animals, exploring the backstory of Australian and New Zealand war animals. Mark Wilson has created three picture books about war animals, including pigeon story, Flapper, VC. Meanwhile, Torty and the Soldier by Jennifer Beck and Fifi Colston celebrates a tortoise that went to war. A few other titles for teens and adults includes Horrie the War Dog , Bill the Bastard and Prince of Afghanistan. These are just a few titles, there are many more.

Lest we Forget these brave animals.