History

• By 1915, over 18,000 men had enlisted in southern Australia; but in 1916, the total enlistment only added about 10,000 more volunteers. As a result, it was decided that Australia needed reinforcements of at least 5,500 enlistees per month.
  
  

1916 Referendum

• With the depletion of enlisting troops, Prime Minister Hughes proposed a referendum on October 28, 1916. The Prime Minister proposed that men who were undergoing compulsory training would be forced to serve overseas, but the referendum lost by over 72,000 votes.
  
  

Propaganda

• In order to promote enlistment, the government issued letters, posters, news editorials and even poetry. A print advertisement read "Enlist! Enlist!" and included a letter from a serving soldier to his father describing the agony of war and claiming that further reinforcements could save lives.