THE DIGGER'S BEAR

Private John Murray is the first ever Australia in the Great War commemorative bear. He was released in late 2014 to mark 100 years since Australia’s entry into the Great War of 1914-1918.

The Great War touched the lives of all Australians in the early part of the Twentieth Centaury. From towns and cities people rallied to the call to join the Mother Country in her fight against Germany. Within days of the declaration of war on 4 August thousands of men and women enlisted in the newly formed Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.).  By 1918, from a population of less than 5 million, some 417,000 would serve in the force.  Pte. Murray represents the thousands who enlisted within days of the outbreak of war. The colour patch he wears is that of the 4th Battalion, 1st Brigade which formed in NSW within a fortnight of the declaration.

The amazing detail and finish in Pte. Murray’s uniform represents the standard uniform issued to enlisted men of the A.I.F., although for many early recruits the first weeks of training were done in civvies as not enough uniforms were available.  

The A.I.F. uniform itself was designed in 1912 and would remain the basic uniform for diggers fighting in Europe and in the Middle East.  The loosely cut jacket had two large patch pockets on the chest and two large bellows pockets on the skirt. The uniform was finished with an integral cloth belt and buttons. The jacket is worn over matching breeches laced at the knee.  Cloth windings, or puttees, covered the legs from the knee to the sturdy Australian pattern boots. Pte. Murray wears the distinctive Australian Commonwealth Military Forces slouch hat proudly worn by the Australian Army since 1903.

Following his release in 2014 AGW was inundated with calls suggesting different bears wearing the various uniforms of other units and specialities.

The AGW bears follow the story of Australia in the Great War and share a proud but confronting history. By war’s end Australia counted the cost of this ‘war to end all wars’.  Our fallen totalled 61,720; more than 155,000 carried the physical wounds of war to their graves and tens of thousands more battled the mental anguish of their experiences.  With our AGW bears we remember them with pride and gratitude.