The Coloured Digger documentary by Jemma Pigott
Donation protected
My name is Jemma Pigott and I'm working on a film honouring Aboriginal servicemen.
The working title of my film “The Coloured Digger” references a poem by the same name – written in tribute to Aboriginal Diggers during World War Two. The author, Bert Beros, was a white Australian combat engineer or “Sapper”. He served on the Kokoda Track with Aboriginal soldiers, Privates Harold West and George Leonard. These young Aboriginal men were childhood friends who lost their lives defending Australia when they were not counted in the population. Beros wrote his poetic tribute at Donadabu Rest Camp (near Moresby). He was inspired by Private West – a truly remarkable Aboriginal warrior.
Beros’s poem inspired the name of Redfern’s Coloured Diggers March - an annual community event held every ANZAC Day, paying respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women.
Beros’s poem has been put to music by Warren Morgan and friends including John Paul Young OAM (lead vocals) and Private West’s nephew Les Beckett (harmonica). They have provided me a recording to use in the feature length documentary I am hoping to complete with crucial assistance from this Go Fund Me campaign.
To date my film has been an entirely self-funded project of passion.
I was introduced to it through my involvement with the Kokoda Aboriginal Servicemen’s Committee (KASC). In 2012 I went to Papua New Guinea with the KASC as a volunteer filmmaker, documenting ceremonies at the graves of Aboriginal soldiers for their respective families.
I am very passionate about my current documentary 'The Coloured Digger' - focusing on the stories of Sapper Beros and Privates West and Leonard.
The funds raised in this Go Fund Me campaign will be used to professionally complete this important documentary – paying for production costs including licensing fees for remarkable archival images that are crucial to telling this story.
The main purpose of my film is to preserve an important story about unsung Australian legends for posterity. In a broader sense, it also seeks to raise awareness about the contributions made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander soldiers to Australia’s defence, paying tribute to their legacy.
PLEASE get on board this important project and help me honour the overlooked service of First Australians to our defence.
The working title of my film “The Coloured Digger” references a poem by the same name – written in tribute to Aboriginal Diggers during World War Two. The author, Bert Beros, was a white Australian combat engineer or “Sapper”. He served on the Kokoda Track with Aboriginal soldiers, Privates Harold West and George Leonard. These young Aboriginal men were childhood friends who lost their lives defending Australia when they were not counted in the population. Beros wrote his poetic tribute at Donadabu Rest Camp (near Moresby). He was inspired by Private West – a truly remarkable Aboriginal warrior.
Beros’s poem inspired the name of Redfern’s Coloured Diggers March - an annual community event held every ANZAC Day, paying respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women.
Beros’s poem has been put to music by Warren Morgan and friends including John Paul Young OAM (lead vocals) and Private West’s nephew Les Beckett (harmonica). They have provided me a recording to use in the feature length documentary I am hoping to complete with crucial assistance from this Go Fund Me campaign.
To date my film has been an entirely self-funded project of passion.
I was introduced to it through my involvement with the Kokoda Aboriginal Servicemen’s Committee (KASC). In 2012 I went to Papua New Guinea with the KASC as a volunteer filmmaker, documenting ceremonies at the graves of Aboriginal soldiers for their respective families.
I am very passionate about my current documentary 'The Coloured Digger' - focusing on the stories of Sapper Beros and Privates West and Leonard.
The funds raised in this Go Fund Me campaign will be used to professionally complete this important documentary – paying for production costs including licensing fees for remarkable archival images that are crucial to telling this story.
The main purpose of my film is to preserve an important story about unsung Australian legends for posterity. In a broader sense, it also seeks to raise awareness about the contributions made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander soldiers to Australia’s defence, paying tribute to their legacy.
PLEASE get on board this important project and help me honour the overlooked service of First Australians to our defence.
Organizer
Jemma Pigott
Organizer
Freshwater NSW
