Diggers

The term 'digger' is a colloquial term for an Australian or New Zealand soldier. It became popular during the first World War and has become part of the Australian - and to a lesser extent, New Zealand, idiom ever since.

No one is exactly sure what it refers to, the most common reason being that the Australians and New Zealanders called one another it in jest, as a nickname, because they apparently excelled at and were required to dig tunnels and trenches during the Great War. It became a source of pride to be called a Digger, becoming synonymous with doing a difficult job well.

Identifying themselves as Diggers was a very different thing from the British Army equivalent of calling a soldier 'Tommy', as it was a name they embraced and were proud of, and still very much are today.