Yep agreed henry but thinking back to the day when Aus only had 5 million inhabitants the war touched just about all the families and right from the outset it was a volunteer army as when conscription was tried it was roundly defeated.
The troops at the front (read it from one of my books) voted "No" to a man as they did not want to see their countrymen come into a place they called hell it was not quite the "Great Adventure" as advertised on the poster as it could not portray what it was really like.
I am about 2/3rds the way through "Jacka's Mob" By Rule (Albert Jacka V.C) the descriptions of how they endured the mud, sleet, snow and frightful conditions is just appalling to the physc thinking of the primeval troglodyte life they lived just one explosion, bullet or bayonet away from oblivion. (Will give a review when I finish it)