TODD SIMPSON
The Trenches Took Her Too
Airbrushed acrylic on canvas
91 x 91cm
This work honours the universal values of loyalty, respect, courage, love of country, and comradeship that defined the Gallipoli Campaign. These qualities aren’t confined to specific battles or eras – they belong to all Australians willing to serve.
While women weren’t permitted in combat roles in the Australian Defence Force until 2013, their commitment to these ideals has never wavered. “The Trenches Took Her Too” imagines what might have been: women fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with their male counterparts during WWI, enduring the same hardships and demonstrating the same resolve.
The weary determination in her eyes reflects not just the physical toll of combat, but the additional struggle of proving oneself in spaces historically closed to women. This painting challenges us to recognise that the Anzac spirit transcends gender and generation – the values we commemorate each April are human values, accessible to all who choose to embody them, in military service or civilian life.
