Assessment Task Notification

Year 10 History Task 1:

The Challenges of World War I

Dear General William Riddell Birdwood,

I am Nathan Hawke, a junior officer stationed at Gallipoli serving in the 2nd Battalion, AIF
during World War One. I have come from the town of Tocumwal, New South Wales where my
father works as a car repairer and my mother stays home to take care of my severely ill
brother. I am sending this letter to you in order to solve a key tactical challenge that we are
facing and propose an effective solution.

The dilemma we are facing is that my troops are unable to shoot from the trenches properly
without their head peeking out. This means that they are unable to aim without getting shot
by Turkish enemies who are far too close to us. Snipers have been a major source of concern
for us since we arrived. Several were within our lines in the early days, camouflaged among
the vegetation. They sometimes wear clothing from the troops they killed, such as Australian
or New Zealand uniforms. Five of our men have already died due to being shot in the head.
Thus, a periscope is essential to our very existence as if any more of our men raise their heads
above the parapet to shoot, they may expose themselves to enemy fire.

To address this problem, I have implemented an invention known as the “Periscope Rifle” that
will help our men shoot without peaking their heads out. This rifle will be best used at
Quinn’s Post as the enemy line is less than 50 metres away and it is very dangerous to expose
ourselves.
Here is a diagram of the Periscope Rifle:

The primary body of the periscope is mounted to the rifle's butt at a place behind the trigger
guard thanks to its straightforward construction. The periscope changes the direction of the
light with two mirrors, allowing an image to be viewed without looking directly at it. The rifle
is then fastened to the periscope using a cord or wire wrapped around the butt and is used to
pull the trigger whenever the enemy is spotted. A view of the battlefield could be obtained
using the mirror at the bottom of the device. But in order to pull the trigger on the weapon,
we will need to stoop quite low. This might change how accurately the gun is aimed, affecting
the shot.
Here is a picture of how the Rifle works while in a parapet:

Lieutenant A.J. Shout takes aim at the Turkish trenches effectively, avoiding being shot in his
head. Because of the proximity of the Turkish trenches and snipers further up the hill, it has
been nearly difficult to lift one's head at Quinn's to shoot back at the enemy. But with this
ingenuity, our garrison is finally able to respond effectively and stay protected.

I believe the Periscope Rifle would be an effective answer to the difficulty we face at Gallipoli.
We can offer our soldiers the tactical edge they need to recognise, respond to, and act on
enemy threats by providing them with enhanced sniper advantages. This will aid in the
reduction of fatalities and the overall efficacy of our military operations. I strongly encourage
you to view the rifle as a critical invention in our tactical arsenal at Gallipoli. Thank you for
reading this letter.

Sincerely,
Lieutenant Nathan Hawke

Referencing:

❖ Easton, M. (2016) “Chapter 9 World War 1.” Available at:

https://www.oup.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/58141/Chapter-9-World-War-I-1
914-1918.pdf (Accessed Mark 17, 2023).

❖ DVA (Department of Veterans Affairs) (2021), Weapons used by the Australian Army in
World War I, DVA Anzac Portal
https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/ww1/military-organisation/army-w
(Accessed Mark 17, 2023).

❖ War Stories (2021). Remembering Gallipoli & The Anzacs Who Made Their Nations
Proud | Anzac Day | War Stories. YouTube. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiwZbvUmaMg (Accessed: March 17, 2023).

❖ A Difficult Landing | ANZAC VOICES (2019) Australian War Memorial. Available at:
https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/anzac-voices/landing#:~:text=The%20main
%20force%20landed%20on,day%20but%20were%20forced%20back (Accessed Mark 17,
2023).

❖ Katron Creative (2017) Gallipoli Inventors: The Periscope Rifle, Army Museum of South
Australia. Available at:
https://amosa.org.au/museum-exhibits/wwi-exhibits/gallipoli-inventors-the-periscop
e-rifle (Accessed: March 17, 2023).

❖ Sniping From Below: Periscope Rifles in World War I (2016) - World War I Centennial
n.d., countdowntoveteransday.net
https://countdowntoveteransday.net/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-cente
nnial-news/4276-sniping-from-below-periscope-rifles-in-world-war-i.html
(Accessed Mark 17, 2023).
Annotations:

❖ Traynor, G. (2022) Necessity …. The Mother of All Invention – William BEECH & The
‘Beech Periscope Rifle’ – Gallipoli 1915, Medals Gone Missing. Available at:
http://medalsgonemissing.com/military-medal-blog/military-medals/necessity-the-m
other-of-all-invention-william-beech-the-beech-periscope-rifle-gallipoli-1915/
(Accessed: March 18, 2023).

The source titled "Necessity: The Mother of All Invention – William Beech & the Beech
Periscope Rifle – Gallipoli 1915" effectively benefited me in creating this letter to find a
solution to fix problems faced in WW1. This source included information about the
periscope rifle, which helped find a way to fight the war while staying protected in the
trenches. This article outlines and details how and when the rifle was used during
Gallipoli when the troops were struggling to fight against the enemies. The source
heavily benefits me by providing information about the origin of the use of the
periscope rifle, while highlighting how it was used and the way the rifle was an
innovative idea to help soldiers adapt to the changing nature of warfare.

❖ Australian War Memorial (2019) Periscope Rifle, Australian War Memorial. Available at:
https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/gallipoli/periscope_rifle
(Accessed: March 18, 2023)

This article named “Periscope Rifle” on the Australian War Memorial explains how the
periscope rifle works and how it was used to give an advantage to the Australian and
New Zealander troops in Gallipoli and was an invaluable source of information. The
author gives sufficient information regarding the periscope rifle's development
throughout WWI, as well as technical specifics about the rifle's functions, designs, and
efficacy. The essay also provides insight into the tactics and techniques adopted by
Australian and New Zealand forces at Gallipoli, which helped to improve knowledge of
the conditions and obstacles that soldiers encountered throughout this war. This
source was an excellent resource for understanding how the periscope rifle functioned
in the trenches and how it aided troops in gaining an advantage over their adversaries.
Primary Source:

Bean, C. E. W. (C E. W. (1915) The Story of Anzac. Treloar Crescent

Campbell ACT 2612 Australia: Australian War Memorial.

Major C. Clarence JACKSON, 1st Infantry

Battalion, AIF (1915) Australian War Memorial
image number A04045. Treloar Crescent
Campbell ACT 2612 Australia.

AIF.