It’s the context: Why AnzacLive works for today’s teens

COULD the social media teens of 2015 handle the horrific reality faced by youngsters who went off to war a century ago? Today they can find out.

ANZAC Live Promo Photo. Year 11 Camberwell Grammar students (l to r) Hugh Emmett, Michael Liu and Josh Holding using AnzacLIVE, a digital history initiative by NewsCorp to commemorate the Anzac centenary. Picture: Eugene Hyland

WOULD teens of today cope with the horrific conditions faced by so many youngsters who went off to war a century ago?

They can find out tonight in a familiar setting — social media — by interacting with some of Australia’s Word War I soldiers in a groundbreaking project: AnzacLive.

The initiative brings to life the experiences of ten real characters from WW1 who are posting and responding to your comments in real time on Facebook, 100 years to the day after the events they describe. At this stage they are just weeks off the attack on Gallipoli — not that they know it yet.

A star from the past ... Bert Reynolds is on Facebook.

Ask Archie ... you can chat to Digger Barwick now.

Among the most popular of the ten character pages are those of Bert Reynolds, a Victorian stretcher bearer who was not yet 18 when he enlisted, and Tasmanian tough cookie Archie Barwick — the pair are equal second behind nurse Alice Ross-King, whose page has garnered more Likes than any others since the project launched on Sunday.

While Bert’s age makes him easy to relate to for teens, the other nine all have unique characteristics winning friends across the internet.

Australian National University marketing and social media lecturer Stephen Dann said AnzacLive was a new way to highlight the daily routines and struggles of diggers.

“These diaries and letters home were basically the status updates of their time,” Dr Dann said.

“Those elements of the wartime experience which are so often glossed over will take on new meaning.

“Bringing it back through social media will give it far greater context.

“The good thing about this is the context.’’

Candles and computers ... Year 11 Camberwell Grammar students Hugh Emmett and Michael Liu will use AnzacLive in their WW1 commemorations. Picture: Eugene Hyland

Victoria’s Camberwell Grammar School head of history Graham Morey-Nase said the initiative was a useful tool for students.

“It’s the way kids communicate with each other, they are on social media every night,”

“So the notion of communicating with those who were at Gallipoli — I think that is something that would resonate with this generation of school students.’’

Camberwell Grammar students will track AnzacLive characters ahead of the school’s own initiative — a overnight vigil marking the 100th commemoration.

Students will sleep under the stars on the school grounds, holding quiet candlelight vigils through the night before a moving dawn service.

To get involved in AnzacLive simply head to www.anzaclive.com.au or search #AnzacLive on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Originally published as It’s the context: Why AnzacLive works for today’s teens