ANZAC Day – New Zealand and Australia
In New Zealand and Australia – every year we remember our forefathers, grandfathers, uncles or brothers who served World War One and the landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915. Here are a few photos of our family members who served and died during the wars. They are not deaf or had any kind of disability impairments.
Thinking about Deaf men and did they went to the wars or not?
My recall back to my university studying in the B.A. History Papers – The Civil War in the U.S. I came across the book called – Fighting in the Shadows: Untold Stories of Deaf People in the Civil War by Harry D. Lang through my online research many years ago. I spoke to my ex-professor about this, and he disagrees with this topic for he was not unusual to know about people with disabilities. Yep, he is a hard case person.
From 1861 to 1865, 4,000,000 freed, 750,000 dead leaving 1 nation saved. 
Many men were deaf before the war who enlisted to fight for their country while the other half of the men became deaf after the war from all the explosions and noises around them during the battles. One interesting topic was the reporter – Howard Glyndon who was really a woman – a deaf woman named Laura Redden Searing. She was using a pseudonym as Howard Glyndon and her job was a war correspondent. A couple of her books, she wrote The Idylis of War and Notable Men in the House of Representatives. Later she befriends with Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant.
Sadly after the Civil War ended, the Government around the world placed a ban preventing deaf people from joining the military for any future wars. Every able-bodied man was enlisted to fight, and many deaf people were left behind throughout many battles.
In New Zealand, many deaf men including disabilities men were not allowed to go and fight the wars. When the able-bodied men and women came back from the wars, there was a high rate of disabilities people in New Zealand. Our Government established a War Pensions 1860s, the Military Pensions Act 1866 during the 19th Century (after New Zealand and South African War – Boer’s War). This pension was only for assisted war veterans onto farms and into work, as well as providing rehabilitation and pensions where needed around homes and jobs. Today many war veterans are not happy with their war pensions.
We do not have any records if there were any Deaf men fought the wars from New Zealand. The only records we do have was the returned war veterans.
Did you know that the only country allow Deaf men to join the miltary? The country is Israel. Quote from https://jdcc.org/jewish-deaf-tidbits/israel-defense-forces-article-says-israel-only-country-in-world-to-require-deaf-people-to-serve-in-military/
The Israel Defense Force (IDF) is the only country in the world that requires their deaf and hard of hearing citizens to enlist and serve in the military. Sign language interpreters and other accommodations are provided during training! These individuals serve in non-combat occupational specialties. These specialties include but are not limited to mappers, recruiters, K-9 trainers, engineers, clerical workers, etc.. The deaf and hard of hearing service members that serve in IDF have better opportunities for post-military employment, housing, and education.
In the United State, there is a programme for anyone who is deaf and joins to the cadet military. It is called The Maryland School for the Deaf’s Cadet Program.
