Australia took kangaroos as mascots to World War I

War is hell . It ’s especially hellish when the integral cosmos is involved in a battle that boils down to complicated alliances and diplomatic ass - hattery . So every lilliputian happy musical composition of home helps .

Kangaroos evidently make great conflict buddies . A C ago , Australia joined the sleep of the British Empire in hold war on Germany , pulling the country into a global conflict that would claim the lives of some 16 million multitude , before a public security treaty was finally signed on November 11 , 1918 . While its troops die to conflict on three unlike continent during World War I , Australia is often remembered for its role in defending the Suez Canal in Egypt . That’swhere an oculus - catching photoof a soldier playing with a kangaroo in the phantasm of the Great Pyramids .

The picture count phony at first glance . Like , why on Earth is there a kangaroo in Egypt ? But in fact , Australian troops brought a number of different type of animals from home to World War I. Call them mascots or just pals , these critters helped advance team spirit and help Australia show off some of its natural heritage .

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The Australian 11th Battalion sitting on the Great Pyramid of Giza on January 10 , 1915

The presence of kangaroos and wallaby and the like is especially relevant , because the warfare was one of the first times that Australia appeared before the earth as a nation . After all , the Commonwealth of Australia was only established in 1907 . And even though the country was part of the British Empire , the commencement of the war triggered an explosion of patriotism in Australia . Many Australians by nature came from British heritage , so if Britons were going to fight and die in World War I , so were Australians .

As the unofficial symbol of Australia , the kangaroo played a number of emblematic part during the warfare . There were the mascots in Africa and elsewhere on the front . The animate being was also conjure up in recruiting exploit , most famouslyduring the so - call in Kangaroo March of 1915 . Even the Australian uniform were a little bite kangaroo - inspired . Soldiers often wore “ kangaroo feathers ” on their iconic slouch hats , tucked beneath the left side of the brim which was traditionally folded up . It ’s also deserving advert that the kangaroo appears striking on Australia ’s coat of arms , whichwas designed in 1912 , just two years before the start of the war . The kangaroo alsoappeared on various propagandathroughout the ordeal .

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“ The ‘ Roo Behind the Gun ” Christmas card circa 1916

So it ’s meet that the Australians took actual kangaroos with them to war . Some were even kept at military hospital , presumptively to aid jolly along up the wound soldiers . And in a very visceral way , the kangaroo even became Australia ’s legacy after the war . The countrydonated a number of animals to the Cairo Zoological Gardensas World War I drew to a finis . you could belike still go see some of the original war kangaroo ’ congenator if you go to Egypt . Perhaps touchingly , their bouncy typeface are one of only a few positive things that come out of that blessed war .

A kangaroo named Jimony and a nurse at the Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Harefield , England

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