I’ve now got through the easily found memoirs, mostly re-released ones available at the local city council libraries but a few published for the first time, posthumously. Amazing another of these has just come out, ‘Over the Top’ by HG Hartnett. I’ll read it when the library gets a copy. Otherwise it’s a matter of getting hold of the older ones at State and University libraries. The first of which is as follows –
'The Gallant Company' by H. R. Williams
Subtitled: An Australian soldier’s story of 1915-18.
Angus & Robertson Ltd, Sydney, 1933. H/cover, 275p
Williams joined up in July 1915 in response to the news from Gallipoli. He is sent to Egypt and is assigned to the newly raised 56th Battalion, which is being formed around an experienced cadre from the 4th Battalion. Some of the desert training is exceedingly hard but he notes later that the ones who kept up, coped the best on the Western Front. There are also the shenanigans on leave, though Williams is a non-smoker or drinker (at this point) and the usual slang and attitudes of the period.
The 56th Battalion was part of the 14th Bde of the 5th Division and Williams was exceedingly fortunate that it was in a support role in the battle of Fromelles. It remains the most disastrous action fought by an Australian force, with over 5,000 casualties in the course of a day. Several battalions lost over 700 men. After 2 months recovery time the division goes to the Somme, followed by Flers before spending the winter of 1916/17 in the Gueudecourt Sector. There is a lot on the awfulness of the trenches. The mud and the bitter cold feature prominently. Williams has some interesting revelations and conveys the horror of life and death on the line quite well.
On death, he writes only sparingly of his role in inflicting it. He is a bit more detailed though in describing how it was experienced around him. He writes of the wounds and the tragedy, never overdoing the gore but making things clear. He loses many friends but he doesn’t get too emotive, it is a sober, slightly distanced account in this regard. He is quite the stoic fellow but he does develop as the war continues and become more dimensional to the reader. Poignantly the Armistice is a time of confusion for him.
The latter stages of the book are the strongest. Williams, now an officer, is appointed leader of the patrol platoons and there are some excellent descriptions of patrolling in no-mans land and a little on trench raids. Things pick up markedly with his descriptions of 1918. The work of the Australians in thwarting the German attack is quite stirring (though he is partly absent with gas injuries) and this is followed by the victorious advances from Hamel onwards. Williams notes that casualties are quite light (but surprisingly heavy on the Royal Flying Corps!) but these spike alarmingly in the attack on Peronne, in the battle for Mont St Quentin. He is wounded here too and he notes that the whole 5th division can muster only about 4,500 at the conclusion and that the 56th battalion was commanded by a sergeant.
His reflections are quite interesting. He justifies the sacrifices of the AIF and he explains why he felt the Australians defeated the Germans, noting that with their then focus on athletics (1930s) they appeared to have learned the lessons. Given what came in 1939 it’s a little eerie. He also felt that their reliance on fixed positions robbed the Germans of their aggression and initiative. While a little short on explicit combat, this is a solid memoir, it is informative & written in a manner acceptable to the modern reader.
Recommended 3 ¾ stars.
In 1935 Williams published 'Comrades of the Great Adventure'. I've read it referred to as a 'follow up' and as a 'supplementary' so I'm guessing that it is a little more unit history than 'Gallant Company', possibly with stories from his fellow soldiers. There is a copy at the State Library of Queensland so I'll try and see for sure at some point.
Australian WW1 Memoirs
Re: Australian Memoirs
Memories of a Signaler by H Hinchfuss
Uni of Queensland Press, 1982. Hardcover, 182pages.
The author enlisted in 1915 and due to his experience in the Post Office and pre-war militia service with the 23rd Signaling Engineers is made a signaler, firstly with the 26th Battalion, then 2nd Division HQ and then for most of his time in France, with No 4 Section of the 7th Bde. He serves briefly on Gallipoli before being engaged in many of the big Western Front battles.
Most of Hinchfuss’ war is spent as an NCO organizing or doing line laying and line repairing. As such he is under considerable threat from artillery fire, including gas and he is wounded several times. He doesn’t write of carrying a weapon so he is not involved in any direct combat with the Germans, though he does manage to bluff a few into surrender. His unit does lose men and a lot of men he knows in other units become casualties. He sees his former battalion come out of the line following its involvement at Poziers and counts barely 30 men, so the cost of the war is made clear. While things are quite sanitized generally, he does go into slightly more detail in the later battles. This includes some of the affects of gas and what he did to win the MM (at Westhoek Ridge). His role of course was not that of an infantryman, so there is a bit to learn on the signaling technology of the time but also the use of pigeons and dogs to carry messages (though use of dogs was discontinued as they were so spoiled by the men, they lost their training).
Hinchfuss clearly had nerve. He participated gallantly in some awful actions, like Broodseinde Ridge during Passchendale and he was firm (and respected) enough to veto the appointment of several unsuitable officers to his section. For my interests though, he was not sufficiently involved in active combat to score higher than the star rating I give here. This said, this is a solidly written book and there is some interest in what the author does see of battle and what he experiences on leave. It is also, as far as I know, the only account by an Australian soldier who performed this particular (vital) role.
My recommendation – Of Some Interest
As with my other memoir threads I have put together a list on Amazon with the reviews summarised and shown in order of how interesting I think they are in terms of combat experiences. It can be seen here -
http://www.amazon.com/Australian-WW1-me ... title_full
Uni of Queensland Press, 1982. Hardcover, 182pages.
The author enlisted in 1915 and due to his experience in the Post Office and pre-war militia service with the 23rd Signaling Engineers is made a signaler, firstly with the 26th Battalion, then 2nd Division HQ and then for most of his time in France, with No 4 Section of the 7th Bde. He serves briefly on Gallipoli before being engaged in many of the big Western Front battles.
Most of Hinchfuss’ war is spent as an NCO organizing or doing line laying and line repairing. As such he is under considerable threat from artillery fire, including gas and he is wounded several times. He doesn’t write of carrying a weapon so he is not involved in any direct combat with the Germans, though he does manage to bluff a few into surrender. His unit does lose men and a lot of men he knows in other units become casualties. He sees his former battalion come out of the line following its involvement at Poziers and counts barely 30 men, so the cost of the war is made clear. While things are quite sanitized generally, he does go into slightly more detail in the later battles. This includes some of the affects of gas and what he did to win the MM (at Westhoek Ridge). His role of course was not that of an infantryman, so there is a bit to learn on the signaling technology of the time but also the use of pigeons and dogs to carry messages (though use of dogs was discontinued as they were so spoiled by the men, they lost their training).
Hinchfuss clearly had nerve. He participated gallantly in some awful actions, like Broodseinde Ridge during Passchendale and he was firm (and respected) enough to veto the appointment of several unsuitable officers to his section. For my interests though, he was not sufficiently involved in active combat to score higher than the star rating I give here. This said, this is a solidly written book and there is some interest in what the author does see of battle and what he experiences on leave. It is also, as far as I know, the only account by an Australian soldier who performed this particular (vital) role.
My recommendation – Of Some Interest
As with my other memoir threads I have put together a list on Amazon with the reviews summarised and shown in order of how interesting I think they are in terms of combat experiences. It can be seen here -
http://www.amazon.com/Australian-WW1-me ... title_full
Re: Australian Memoirs
Sgt Lawrence goes to France
Melbourne University Press, 1987. Hardcover, 191pages. Edited by Peter Yule
Firstly, this is not a memoir as such. It is mainly the journal of Lawrence interposed with letters to members of his family and friends (and some extracts from the unit diary). He very much intended them to be a record of his service but it was not clear from this volume what he intended to do with them. His earlier writings were used for ‘The Gallipoli Diary of Sgt Lawrence of the Australian Engineers,1st A.I.F 1915’ published in 1981. As this was also the year of his death it is likely these were published in the format that he specified and I imagine this is the case with this volume.
While I had decided not to include diaries and the like in my reading, I have hit the point that I have read the readily accessible memoirs. A friend with access to a university library got this for me. Sadly while this uni has many of the WW1 memoirs I want, they are almost all ‘reserved’ and not available to be borrowed. As buying them is not practical, it’s a matter of sitting in there reading them, which presents difficulties in terms of finding the time. Anyway, this all aside, it’s a matter of taking what I can get and Lawrence’s diary is very detailed and I feel it is worth putting on this thread.
Lawrence goes to France in July 1916 with 2nd Field Company and later 1st Field Co. Due to his role, he is usually billeted just behind the lines but alongside the artillery, so while he is spared some of the deprivations of the trenches he is very much in the line of fire. His engineer duties of course do see him undertaking many activities in very dangerous places. He writes quite graphically of the death and the awful conditions. The story the encapsulates both, is his discovery of a man, who was so bogged in the mud, that he’d drawn out his razorblade and cut his own throat! As some of this is in letters to his mother and sister, he doesn’t spare them! There’s also a bit about antics with the ladies on leave. So it’s surprisingly forthright in places. His battle experiences though are restricted by his role. He does win the MC at Ypres and becomes an officer towards the end. Casualties around him are heavy though and we (and his family) know how precarious his existence is.
Lawrence has some very strong attitudes. He is very bitter towards the Germans; he seemed to think better of the Turks in fact. He writes too of conscription, indeed he resents those who have failed to join up. He also believes that British units serve less time in the line than the Australians do. There is also a very intense pride in being an Australian.
While diaries are not my preferred format, this is an outstanding primary resource. The entries are very detailed and don’t sanitize what being a soldier in this war was like. So there is material of interest but as for an account of combat, Lawrence’s role meant that there are limits to what he participated in.
Melbourne University Press, 1987. Hardcover, 191pages. Edited by Peter Yule
Firstly, this is not a memoir as such. It is mainly the journal of Lawrence interposed with letters to members of his family and friends (and some extracts from the unit diary). He very much intended them to be a record of his service but it was not clear from this volume what he intended to do with them. His earlier writings were used for ‘The Gallipoli Diary of Sgt Lawrence of the Australian Engineers,1st A.I.F 1915’ published in 1981. As this was also the year of his death it is likely these were published in the format that he specified and I imagine this is the case with this volume.
While I had decided not to include diaries and the like in my reading, I have hit the point that I have read the readily accessible memoirs. A friend with access to a university library got this for me. Sadly while this uni has many of the WW1 memoirs I want, they are almost all ‘reserved’ and not available to be borrowed. As buying them is not practical, it’s a matter of sitting in there reading them, which presents difficulties in terms of finding the time. Anyway, this all aside, it’s a matter of taking what I can get and Lawrence’s diary is very detailed and I feel it is worth putting on this thread.
Lawrence goes to France in July 1916 with 2nd Field Company and later 1st Field Co. Due to his role, he is usually billeted just behind the lines but alongside the artillery, so while he is spared some of the deprivations of the trenches he is very much in the line of fire. His engineer duties of course do see him undertaking many activities in very dangerous places. He writes quite graphically of the death and the awful conditions. The story the encapsulates both, is his discovery of a man, who was so bogged in the mud, that he’d drawn out his razorblade and cut his own throat! As some of this is in letters to his mother and sister, he doesn’t spare them! There’s also a bit about antics with the ladies on leave. So it’s surprisingly forthright in places. His battle experiences though are restricted by his role. He does win the MC at Ypres and becomes an officer towards the end. Casualties around him are heavy though and we (and his family) know how precarious his existence is.
Lawrence has some very strong attitudes. He is very bitter towards the Germans; he seemed to think better of the Turks in fact. He writes too of conscription, indeed he resents those who have failed to join up. He also believes that British units serve less time in the line than the Australians do. There is also a very intense pride in being an Australian.
While diaries are not my preferred format, this is an outstanding primary resource. The entries are very detailed and don’t sanitize what being a soldier in this war was like. So there is material of interest but as for an account of combat, Lawrence’s role meant that there are limits to what he participated in.
Re: Australian Memoirs
'Gallipoli Sniper' by John Hamilton
Subtitled : The Life of Billy Sing
Pan, Sydney, 2008. Paperback, 340 pages including indexs etc
Not a memoir but a readily available bio.
Billy Sing became famous for his sniping skills on Gallipoli. The number varies according to source but he is usually credited with 201 ‘kills’. He was born in the late part of the 19th Century, unusually of a Chinese father and an English born mother. He was quite successful in school and worked a lot of farm type jobs. He served with the 5th Lighthorse on Gallipoli and went to France with the 31st Battalion (he had issues riding horses after an illness). Here he was wounded before returning to Australia and a not so successful post-war life.
There is quite a bit of interest in this work. The main issue that Hamilton faced was an almost total lack of written records from Sing himself. He is forced to rely on the unit histories, medical records, the letters and memoirs of soldiers who served with Sing (and some from other units who merely served in the same locations), including books by Oliver Hogue; ‘Trooper Bluegum’ and quite a lot from Idriess’ ‘Desert Column’ (one I am desperate to read but I wonder about the sniper duel he relates), recollections from ‘old timers’ who knew Sing in their youth – or who knew people who knew Sing. Hamilton’s research is quite thorough. He found newspaper accounts of Sing playing cricket and some records of his schooling. Overall though there normally wouldn’t be enough to fill a book of over 300 pages, so Hamilton puts in a lot of context from the time. He examines the issues relating to Chinese immigration, the various droughts and economic issues facing the bush, life on the land in general and the reasons for the Gallipoli campaign – for starters. There are many quotes that relate to these things but not necessarily to Billy Sing specifically. Overall it’s quite informative but due to the limited number of direct material relating to Sing, Hamilton has had to infer a lot. So there is a lot of ‘Billy may have’ or ‘Billy probably’ underwent the experience being related. The surprising thing to me is that there is so little on his actions in France. There was at least one major event where he apparently wiped out the extended crew of a German machine gun but given the Australian penchant for score keeping (as evidenced by what took place on Gallipoli), I’m surprised there wasn’t more to find on this. Perhaps there was an informal battalion count going but nothing remains if so. So there are questions. What happened to his medals for instance?
Sing was certainly worthy of a biography but a lack of written materials made this a tricky task. Hamilton has done pretty well stretching it out this far but some may find it padded too much (he only gets to the sniping about page 200) and repetitive, where the few facts are used several times over. There is a lot of general history which is interesting if you don’t know it already. Sing is revealed as a man who managed to cross the racial divide and be ‘accepted’ as an Anglo-Saxon. He was feted as a war hero on his return but suffered from being gassed for the rest of his life. He lived and worked rough, drank a lot and was a difficult character at times and his war-bride disappeared without trace. Some of these later experiences would’ve been sadly all too familiar to many other men of his generation.
Of some interest.
Subtitled : The Life of Billy Sing
Pan, Sydney, 2008. Paperback, 340 pages including indexs etc
Not a memoir but a readily available bio.
Billy Sing became famous for his sniping skills on Gallipoli. The number varies according to source but he is usually credited with 201 ‘kills’. He was born in the late part of the 19th Century, unusually of a Chinese father and an English born mother. He was quite successful in school and worked a lot of farm type jobs. He served with the 5th Lighthorse on Gallipoli and went to France with the 31st Battalion (he had issues riding horses after an illness). Here he was wounded before returning to Australia and a not so successful post-war life.
There is quite a bit of interest in this work. The main issue that Hamilton faced was an almost total lack of written records from Sing himself. He is forced to rely on the unit histories, medical records, the letters and memoirs of soldiers who served with Sing (and some from other units who merely served in the same locations), including books by Oliver Hogue; ‘Trooper Bluegum’ and quite a lot from Idriess’ ‘Desert Column’ (one I am desperate to read but I wonder about the sniper duel he relates), recollections from ‘old timers’ who knew Sing in their youth – or who knew people who knew Sing. Hamilton’s research is quite thorough. He found newspaper accounts of Sing playing cricket and some records of his schooling. Overall though there normally wouldn’t be enough to fill a book of over 300 pages, so Hamilton puts in a lot of context from the time. He examines the issues relating to Chinese immigration, the various droughts and economic issues facing the bush, life on the land in general and the reasons for the Gallipoli campaign – for starters. There are many quotes that relate to these things but not necessarily to Billy Sing specifically. Overall it’s quite informative but due to the limited number of direct material relating to Sing, Hamilton has had to infer a lot. So there is a lot of ‘Billy may have’ or ‘Billy probably’ underwent the experience being related. The surprising thing to me is that there is so little on his actions in France. There was at least one major event where he apparently wiped out the extended crew of a German machine gun but given the Australian penchant for score keeping (as evidenced by what took place on Gallipoli), I’m surprised there wasn’t more to find on this. Perhaps there was an informal battalion count going but nothing remains if so. So there are questions. What happened to his medals for instance?
Sing was certainly worthy of a biography but a lack of written materials made this a tricky task. Hamilton has done pretty well stretching it out this far but some may find it padded too much (he only gets to the sniping about page 200) and repetitive, where the few facts are used several times over. There is a lot of general history which is interesting if you don’t know it already. Sing is revealed as a man who managed to cross the racial divide and be ‘accepted’ as an Anglo-Saxon. He was feted as a war hero on his return but suffered from being gassed for the rest of his life. He lived and worked rough, drank a lot and was a difficult character at times and his war-bride disappeared without trace. Some of these later experiences would’ve been sadly all too familiar to many other men of his generation.
Of some interest.
Re: Australian Memoirs
‘Over the Top’ by H. G Hartnett
Edited by Chris Bryett. Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, 2009. Paperback 326 pages
Hartnett fought with the 2nd battalion on the Western Front. He was there from the start, participating in the battles of Poziers, Flers, Gueudecourt, 2nd Bullecourt, Broodseinde Ridge, Passchendaell and some actions in early 1918. He had a number of roles including Lewis gun assistant and later, leader of the rifle grenade section. He was very much a front line soldier, being on the receiving end of extensive shelling and major infantry attacks. He was wounded twice and mildly affected by gas at one point too.
This is an extensive memoir in many respects. He devotes specific chapters to each of the battles, as well as to the periods he spent on leave or convalescing. It is not a short book, there is sometimes incredible attention to detail. This can include the mundane, like the shows he saw in London, the villages his trains passed through and the times of many events. I would describe this as thorough rather than obsessive compulsive. This trait is a bit more valuable when he discusses weapons or equipment – the workings of gas masks for instance was particularly fascinating. He also goes into considerable detail regarding German shelling and dealing with front line conditions. There is also a lot on matters like the Conscription debate, the unit’s commanders (he wasn’t impressed with some – particularly Blamey of WW2 fame, or the guy who castigated the troops for parading in muddy clothes – just after they’d come out of a week or so in the front line!), the Jacks (military police) and the endless fatigues. He is no anti-authoritarian larrikin but he does criticise some of the ridiculous aspects of the army. All up, there was information and opinions I’ve not come across before, so that alone made it a worthwhile read.
While he is in lots of battles and he describes the actions of others, he doesn’t write too specifically of his own actions. Indeed, he barely writes of firing his rifle and never of personally inflicting loss on the enemy. He does make clear the terrible scale of the losses and concludes most chapters with the numbers of battalion, division and even Corps casualties. He doesn’t get too emotional, his tone is a sober one, but he still conveys the awfulness of it all. One family losses three sons, a man losses three limbs & when Hartnett is finally classified as unfit for further active service, he is pretty happy about it!
In a sense it is odd that this book has only just come out. Hartnett apparently wrote the bulk of his memoir in the 1920s, with some polishing in the late 60s (he died about 1974) but he couldn’t find a publisher. There seem to be no doubts about its bona-fides though, it was a source for the battalion history and he is quoted in Bean too. It is a modern enough text in terms of language and sentiment but it is not a short read due to its detailed nature. It took me a while to get through it and though I wouldn’t describe it as compelling, it kept my interest due to its very informative nature. So 3 stars in terms of its direct combat revelations but 4 stars for its extensive insight into life as a soldier in WW1.
Edited by Chris Bryett. Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, 2009. Paperback 326 pages
Hartnett fought with the 2nd battalion on the Western Front. He was there from the start, participating in the battles of Poziers, Flers, Gueudecourt, 2nd Bullecourt, Broodseinde Ridge, Passchendaell and some actions in early 1918. He had a number of roles including Lewis gun assistant and later, leader of the rifle grenade section. He was very much a front line soldier, being on the receiving end of extensive shelling and major infantry attacks. He was wounded twice and mildly affected by gas at one point too.
This is an extensive memoir in many respects. He devotes specific chapters to each of the battles, as well as to the periods he spent on leave or convalescing. It is not a short book, there is sometimes incredible attention to detail. This can include the mundane, like the shows he saw in London, the villages his trains passed through and the times of many events. I would describe this as thorough rather than obsessive compulsive. This trait is a bit more valuable when he discusses weapons or equipment – the workings of gas masks for instance was particularly fascinating. He also goes into considerable detail regarding German shelling and dealing with front line conditions. There is also a lot on matters like the Conscription debate, the unit’s commanders (he wasn’t impressed with some – particularly Blamey of WW2 fame, or the guy who castigated the troops for parading in muddy clothes – just after they’d come out of a week or so in the front line!), the Jacks (military police) and the endless fatigues. He is no anti-authoritarian larrikin but he does criticise some of the ridiculous aspects of the army. All up, there was information and opinions I’ve not come across before, so that alone made it a worthwhile read.
While he is in lots of battles and he describes the actions of others, he doesn’t write too specifically of his own actions. Indeed, he barely writes of firing his rifle and never of personally inflicting loss on the enemy. He does make clear the terrible scale of the losses and concludes most chapters with the numbers of battalion, division and even Corps casualties. He doesn’t get too emotional, his tone is a sober one, but he still conveys the awfulness of it all. One family losses three sons, a man losses three limbs & when Hartnett is finally classified as unfit for further active service, he is pretty happy about it!
In a sense it is odd that this book has only just come out. Hartnett apparently wrote the bulk of his memoir in the 1920s, with some polishing in the late 60s (he died about 1974) but he couldn’t find a publisher. There seem to be no doubts about its bona-fides though, it was a source for the battalion history and he is quoted in Bean too. It is a modern enough text in terms of language and sentiment but it is not a short read due to its detailed nature. It took me a while to get through it and though I wouldn’t describe it as compelling, it kept my interest due to its very informative nature. So 3 stars in terms of its direct combat revelations but 4 stars for its extensive insight into life as a soldier in WW1.
Re: Australian Memoirs
Jacka VC by Robert Macklin
Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, 2006. Paperback, 298 pages.
Due to the difficulty of accessing the long out of print memoirs I’ve again decided to have a look at a recent biography, in this case about the legendary Albert Jacka who won a VC on Gallipoli.
Jacka was an extremely well known figure and much was written about him during the war, including some by those who knew him. This is fortunate for the biographer as Jacka doesn’t appear to have written greatly on his own life. He kept a diary on Gallipoli but the entries were sparse. Even so, with military records, battalion history and of course Bean, it was possible to build quite the picture of a man who died 8 decades ago.
Jacka enlisted early and was assigned to the 14th battalion, being part of its advance guard on Gallipoli. He gained fame during the major Turkish counter-attack in May, where with his rifle and bayonet he personally routed a force of Turks who had gained an Australian trench. It was the first VC awarded to an Australian in WW1. While there were several sources fleshing this episode out, Jacka’s minimalistic diary keeping means there is not a lot else to learn about his time on Anzac. He had a few stints away due to illness, but most of the other material on this phase of his service is quite general.
This is less the case with Jacka’s time in France, primarily because he was involved in several extraordinary exploits. These included the Battle of Poziers, where attacking German troops had surged past Jacka’s position. By way of response he led his small group of men to free a large group of captured Australians. As had happened on Gallipoli, all of these were cut down but Jacka personally killed so many of the German escort that the captured Australians were able to turn the tables and the entire position was subsequently restored. It was an epic performance, especially so since Jacka incurred 7 wounds conducting it! By any standard it deserved a second VC but a self-serving company commander and an out of touch battalion commander saw it downgraded to an MC.
Sadly, even more shameful responses by authorities saw him denied appropriate recognition for outstanding conduct at the battles of Bullecourt and Polygon Wood. Essentially, Jacka’s fury at the criminal incompetence of the planners (mainly Gough, but also Australians commanders who failed to amend the atrociously planned Bullecourt attack which cost the 3,000 man 4th Brigade 2339 casualties – for no gain!) saw him blacklisted as a trouble-maker. Macklin contends that he was noted as not to be promoted or decorated again and this seems supported by some inexplicable decisions. As his hopes to command the 14th (principally in order to prevent its men being wasted in foolish actions) were denied, he became even more critical and difficult. There was much that was fascinating, yet very sad here.
Mackin does a very good job showing how a man who had limited education could make his way to a position of enormous respect in the 1st AIF. He became an officer, commanded a company and was famous through-out the army. It changed him in many ways, and although his post-war life had some hits in store for him, he conducted himself in a remarkable manner. Indeed, his passionate efforts to assist others contributed to his health failing. Given the constraints in terms of living witnesses, Macklin has constructed a commendably full portrait of the man. He is an open admirer sure but Jacka is an easy man to like. I felt Macklin tended to be a bit snide in terms of his criticism of the authors & prosecutors of Gallipoli (though admitably there is much to be critical of) but I absolutely shared his dim view of those who withheld official recognition of Jacka’s supreme exploits in France. Macklin reveals Jacka to have been an outstanding soldier but even more, one whose principal motivation was the protection of those who he was responsible for. And as for his fighting prowess, yes he had luck but his achievements were due primarily to his incredible daring and eye for the battle. It is a stirring story!
Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, 2006. Paperback, 298 pages.
Due to the difficulty of accessing the long out of print memoirs I’ve again decided to have a look at a recent biography, in this case about the legendary Albert Jacka who won a VC on Gallipoli.
Jacka was an extremely well known figure and much was written about him during the war, including some by those who knew him. This is fortunate for the biographer as Jacka doesn’t appear to have written greatly on his own life. He kept a diary on Gallipoli but the entries were sparse. Even so, with military records, battalion history and of course Bean, it was possible to build quite the picture of a man who died 8 decades ago.
Jacka enlisted early and was assigned to the 14th battalion, being part of its advance guard on Gallipoli. He gained fame during the major Turkish counter-attack in May, where with his rifle and bayonet he personally routed a force of Turks who had gained an Australian trench. It was the first VC awarded to an Australian in WW1. While there were several sources fleshing this episode out, Jacka’s minimalistic diary keeping means there is not a lot else to learn about his time on Anzac. He had a few stints away due to illness, but most of the other material on this phase of his service is quite general.
This is less the case with Jacka’s time in France, primarily because he was involved in several extraordinary exploits. These included the Battle of Poziers, where attacking German troops had surged past Jacka’s position. By way of response he led his small group of men to free a large group of captured Australians. As had happened on Gallipoli, all of these were cut down but Jacka personally killed so many of the German escort that the captured Australians were able to turn the tables and the entire position was subsequently restored. It was an epic performance, especially so since Jacka incurred 7 wounds conducting it! By any standard it deserved a second VC but a self-serving company commander and an out of touch battalion commander saw it downgraded to an MC.
Sadly, even more shameful responses by authorities saw him denied appropriate recognition for outstanding conduct at the battles of Bullecourt and Polygon Wood. Essentially, Jacka’s fury at the criminal incompetence of the planners (mainly Gough, but also Australians commanders who failed to amend the atrociously planned Bullecourt attack which cost the 3,000 man 4th Brigade 2339 casualties – for no gain!) saw him blacklisted as a trouble-maker. Macklin contends that he was noted as not to be promoted or decorated again and this seems supported by some inexplicable decisions. As his hopes to command the 14th (principally in order to prevent its men being wasted in foolish actions) were denied, he became even more critical and difficult. There was much that was fascinating, yet very sad here.
Mackin does a very good job showing how a man who had limited education could make his way to a position of enormous respect in the 1st AIF. He became an officer, commanded a company and was famous through-out the army. It changed him in many ways, and although his post-war life had some hits in store for him, he conducted himself in a remarkable manner. Indeed, his passionate efforts to assist others contributed to his health failing. Given the constraints in terms of living witnesses, Macklin has constructed a commendably full portrait of the man. He is an open admirer sure but Jacka is an easy man to like. I felt Macklin tended to be a bit snide in terms of his criticism of the authors & prosecutors of Gallipoli (though admitably there is much to be critical of) but I absolutely shared his dim view of those who withheld official recognition of Jacka’s supreme exploits in France. Macklin reveals Jacka to have been an outstanding soldier but even more, one whose principal motivation was the protection of those who he was responsible for. And as for his fighting prowess, yes he had luck but his achievements were due primarily to his incredible daring and eye for the battle. It is a stirring story!
Re: Australian Memoirs
Both Sides of the Wire by William Cull
Subtitled: The Memoir of an Australian Officer captured during the Great War
Edited by Aaron Pegram
Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 2011. Paperback, 232 pages.
This memoir was originally published in 1919 under the title of ‘At All Costs’. Cull enlisted in May 1915, he had some Militia experience under his belt and was able to get to Gallipoli towards the end of the fighting there, serving with the 23rd Battalion. He was there only a few weeks before getting wounded, so he writes only a little on this campaign. He doesn’t go into his youth or training but he has a little to say on Egypt, noting, “Its temperatures are as high as its morals are low, and Cairo is qualified in both ways to be its capital.” So even though it was written almost a hundred years ago, it still reads well.
The bulk of Cull’s battle experiences took place on the Western Front. He transferred to the 22nd Battalion after Poziers and it seems became his unit’s expert scout of No-Mans-Land. There are some fascinating experiences here. Cull was a young and brave man and he relished the battle of wits that patrolling between the lines at night offered. There is even an amazing encounter with a German masquerading as a Highland Officer, complete with men in kilts! This phase of the story concludes with Cull’s wounding and capture following one of those foolish ‘attack at all costs’ orders that seemed to typify the times.
The second, larger half, of Cull’s story is his treatment as a POW. Cull was fairly anti-German before his capture and the amazing brutality he was subjected to as a severely wounded prisoner is astounding. He really lets the Germans have it, continually describing them as ‘brutish’ and ‘beastly’ ‘Huns’. He did encounter others who showed humanity but his overall impression is very dim, in particular towards the Prussian types who he thought most at fault. He is very lucky to survive his wounds (and it seems to even be taken alive – it was a very brutal war – on both sides!) and the difficult months after. Indeed, given the level of starvation the Germans themselves were experiencing, he probably would’ve died without Red Cross packages. He is then fortunate to be repatriated to Switzerland in January 1918.
The editor, Aaron Pegram has done his PhD on Australians captured on the Western Front and instigated the republishing of Cull’s memoir to enhance understanding of Australia’s sacrifice. I found this to have been a very worthwhile exercise. Cull remains quite readable. He is a man of his times though, and writes frankly of his opinions of various people and nationalities. His adventures on patrol were the highlight for me, including his thoughts as an officer, but he doesn’t write a great deal about the bigger battles he participated in. What he has to say about being a POW though will be new and probably confronting to many. Recommended. 3 ½ stars
Subtitled: The Memoir of an Australian Officer captured during the Great War
Edited by Aaron Pegram
Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 2011. Paperback, 232 pages.
This memoir was originally published in 1919 under the title of ‘At All Costs’. Cull enlisted in May 1915, he had some Militia experience under his belt and was able to get to Gallipoli towards the end of the fighting there, serving with the 23rd Battalion. He was there only a few weeks before getting wounded, so he writes only a little on this campaign. He doesn’t go into his youth or training but he has a little to say on Egypt, noting, “Its temperatures are as high as its morals are low, and Cairo is qualified in both ways to be its capital.” So even though it was written almost a hundred years ago, it still reads well.
The bulk of Cull’s battle experiences took place on the Western Front. He transferred to the 22nd Battalion after Poziers and it seems became his unit’s expert scout of No-Mans-Land. There are some fascinating experiences here. Cull was a young and brave man and he relished the battle of wits that patrolling between the lines at night offered. There is even an amazing encounter with a German masquerading as a Highland Officer, complete with men in kilts! This phase of the story concludes with Cull’s wounding and capture following one of those foolish ‘attack at all costs’ orders that seemed to typify the times.
The second, larger half, of Cull’s story is his treatment as a POW. Cull was fairly anti-German before his capture and the amazing brutality he was subjected to as a severely wounded prisoner is astounding. He really lets the Germans have it, continually describing them as ‘brutish’ and ‘beastly’ ‘Huns’. He did encounter others who showed humanity but his overall impression is very dim, in particular towards the Prussian types who he thought most at fault. He is very lucky to survive his wounds (and it seems to even be taken alive – it was a very brutal war – on both sides!) and the difficult months after. Indeed, given the level of starvation the Germans themselves were experiencing, he probably would’ve died without Red Cross packages. He is then fortunate to be repatriated to Switzerland in January 1918.
The editor, Aaron Pegram has done his PhD on Australians captured on the Western Front and instigated the republishing of Cull’s memoir to enhance understanding of Australia’s sacrifice. I found this to have been a very worthwhile exercise. Cull remains quite readable. He is a man of his times though, and writes frankly of his opinions of various people and nationalities. His adventures on patrol were the highlight for me, including his thoughts as an officer, but he doesn’t write a great deal about the bigger battles he participated in. What he has to say about being a POW though will be new and probably confronting to many. Recommended. 3 ½ stars
Re: Australian Memoirs
The Desert Column by Ion Idreiss
Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1932. 380 pages
This is one of the more popular accounts written by an Australian veteran of WW1. First published in 1932 and then numerous times after that, it covers the author’s war in Gallipoli and Palestine. At the outset Idreiss notes, this is “more than a diary. It is myself.” While it generally follows a diary format, they are often long passages and it is not done in a way that breaks up the narrative. I am also pleased to say that, though the text has a slightly dated feel; Idreiss’ adventures still come through quite well.
Idreiss starts his account with his observations of Gallipoli as he disembarked, noting “the landing place looks like a sheer line of Rocky cliffs”. Even so many of his fellows were loudly upbeat, though he himself felt little humour. His regiment, 5th Light Horse (minus the horses), was committed to reinforce the terribly mauled infantry. In the early days they are in reserve but nowhere was ‘safe’ and many men were lost to shelling and sniping each day.
In terms of battle, Idreiss is involved in sniping and even ‘spots’ for the legendary Billy Sing. He writes a lot about the effects of the constant shelling and the many dead lying about (they landed just after the major Turkish counter-attack of 19th May) and their various stages of purification and dismemberment. It is not sanitized. Maggots abound and on two separate occasions he writes of sandbags, firstly covered in blood splatters and later as ‘foul with men’s grease’. This later was at Lone Pine which was the most intense phase of Idreiss’ Gallipoli account. He is wounded and evacuated to recuperate (for the second time). Overall, it is a surprisingly vivid account of the effects of battle. The final point Idreiss makes is the regiment landing almost 500 strong, yet suffered 1,145 casualties. Only two officers surviving the full stretch. Gallipoli has been described as ‘One long grave’ and Idreiss’ account certainly attests to that.
The Gallipoli phase ended on page 75 and the next 300 pages deal with the battles from Egypt and on to Syria. Some of these are very exciting! There are dramatic charges and extensive bayonet fighting. While significant parts are written in general terms, there is still much that is clear. He has a lot to say about the campaign in general, including Arab collusion with the Turks, the surprising extent of air-raids, cut and thrust with MPs and of course, the extreme desert conditions. He is impressed with the British and Scottish infantry and in general admired the bravery and determination of the Turks. There were times he was quite frightened but others when he and his mates laughed during a daring action. When he is wounded in early 1918 and slated to return to Australia he heartedly writes ‘thank heavens’.
I wrote above that the text has a dated feel but it does become very engaging. There isn’t quite the clarity that the more modern war memoirs attain but it is extraordinarily descriptive. Idreiss at times leans towards writing of events in terms of ‘us’ and ‘we’ but he refers to his personal doings sufficiently to make it very much his story. Idreiss became a very popular author of 'outback' adventure books after the war and it does seem some of his stories here might have been 'polished' a little to give a bit more flare. This aside, I highly recommend this book (if you can find it! - I had to sit at a Uni library for a couple of days) 4 1/2 stars
Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1932. 380 pages
This is one of the more popular accounts written by an Australian veteran of WW1. First published in 1932 and then numerous times after that, it covers the author’s war in Gallipoli and Palestine. At the outset Idreiss notes, this is “more than a diary. It is myself.” While it generally follows a diary format, they are often long passages and it is not done in a way that breaks up the narrative. I am also pleased to say that, though the text has a slightly dated feel; Idreiss’ adventures still come through quite well.
Idreiss starts his account with his observations of Gallipoli as he disembarked, noting “the landing place looks like a sheer line of Rocky cliffs”. Even so many of his fellows were loudly upbeat, though he himself felt little humour. His regiment, 5th Light Horse (minus the horses), was committed to reinforce the terribly mauled infantry. In the early days they are in reserve but nowhere was ‘safe’ and many men were lost to shelling and sniping each day.
In terms of battle, Idreiss is involved in sniping and even ‘spots’ for the legendary Billy Sing. He writes a lot about the effects of the constant shelling and the many dead lying about (they landed just after the major Turkish counter-attack of 19th May) and their various stages of purification and dismemberment. It is not sanitized. Maggots abound and on two separate occasions he writes of sandbags, firstly covered in blood splatters and later as ‘foul with men’s grease’. This later was at Lone Pine which was the most intense phase of Idreiss’ Gallipoli account. He is wounded and evacuated to recuperate (for the second time). Overall, it is a surprisingly vivid account of the effects of battle. The final point Idreiss makes is the regiment landing almost 500 strong, yet suffered 1,145 casualties. Only two officers surviving the full stretch. Gallipoli has been described as ‘One long grave’ and Idreiss’ account certainly attests to that.
The Gallipoli phase ended on page 75 and the next 300 pages deal with the battles from Egypt and on to Syria. Some of these are very exciting! There are dramatic charges and extensive bayonet fighting. While significant parts are written in general terms, there is still much that is clear. He has a lot to say about the campaign in general, including Arab collusion with the Turks, the surprising extent of air-raids, cut and thrust with MPs and of course, the extreme desert conditions. He is impressed with the British and Scottish infantry and in general admired the bravery and determination of the Turks. There were times he was quite frightened but others when he and his mates laughed during a daring action. When he is wounded in early 1918 and slated to return to Australia he heartedly writes ‘thank heavens’.
I wrote above that the text has a dated feel but it does become very engaging. There isn’t quite the clarity that the more modern war memoirs attain but it is extraordinarily descriptive. Idreiss at times leans towards writing of events in terms of ‘us’ and ‘we’ but he refers to his personal doings sufficiently to make it very much his story. Idreiss became a very popular author of 'outback' adventure books after the war and it does seem some of his stories here might have been 'polished' a little to give a bit more flare. This aside, I highly recommend this book (if you can find it! - I had to sit at a Uni library for a couple of days) 4 1/2 stars
Re: Australian Memoirs
Red Dust by Donald Black
Leonaur, 2008. Paperback, 205 pages
This is the memoir of a Light-horseman who served in Palestine in 1917-18. The name Donald Black is a pseudonym, the author’s actual name being John Lyons Gray. He enlisted at age 17 at Newcastle and joined the 6th Lighthorse Regiment prior to its role in the Battle of Beersheba (Third Gaza). Aside from one spell of leave in Cairo he serves continuously with this unit until the Armistice.
Black/Lyons is certainly in a lot of action. The Turks had significant numbers of troops in this theatre and inflicted a number of defeats on the allied forces, that saw them stalled considerably. For the author this meant spending far too long in the pestilent furnace that was the Jordan Valley. A chronic lack of basic supplies and a variety of deadly diseases took a steady toll on the Australian forces. Lyons writes graphically on what this meant. Men wasted away, some died, others lost their minds. The regiment almost ceased to be a formation he could recognize. It was incredibly hard on the horses too. In the modern age the business of keeping horses healthy is alien to most of us. Here we read of disease and starvation, days without water and bellies full of sand. A thrown shoe or too cold a night could leave a horse unable to carry his rider. It was surprising how complicated being a cavalryman could be.
As for combat, the author sees plenty of it, some at the closest of quarters. Combat at night in particular was likely to see bayonet or rifle-but use, certainly this was the author’s experience. There was also vicious shelling and even air-raids. Towards the end they encounter German crewed machine guns and find them to be suicidally committed to their role. There are many casualties and perhaps the most sobering element of this is that the men become so enured to it.
A very interesting element of this memoir are the extensive reflections the author goes into. He writes in great detail on Australia’s role with Britain, particularly of Australia being young and free of the class issues inherent there. There is also much on his attitudes to officers, rear-area troops, military police and the role of brothels. Another is his shock at the horrors of war and how they shake his biblical beliefs, something he recognizes is quite ironic given he is serving in the Holy Land. He doesn’t see too much that is Holy though. He despises the inhabitants (and there are many stories of rough conduct towards them) and finds most places decrepit or faked. It is a remarkable deposition for a man of these times (the book was first published in 1931). The views have clearly been carefully considered before being strongly delivered (it seems the author was a lawyer post-war) and they make this memoir stand out from most others. This is intriguing as the author is not as explicit when writing of the front. He never specifies his regiment or names a comrade beyond a surname. It is quite likely too that these are pseudonyms, given Lyons himself writes under a pen-name (apparently he was concerned about reaction to his negative views). There is still much that is graphic on battle and killing but the reservation shown likely stems from the author’s strong hatred of war and the epic waste of life that he saw at such close hand. A strong memoir on several levels 4 stars
Leonaur, 2008. Paperback, 205 pages
This is the memoir of a Light-horseman who served in Palestine in 1917-18. The name Donald Black is a pseudonym, the author’s actual name being John Lyons Gray. He enlisted at age 17 at Newcastle and joined the 6th Lighthorse Regiment prior to its role in the Battle of Beersheba (Third Gaza). Aside from one spell of leave in Cairo he serves continuously with this unit until the Armistice.
Black/Lyons is certainly in a lot of action. The Turks had significant numbers of troops in this theatre and inflicted a number of defeats on the allied forces, that saw them stalled considerably. For the author this meant spending far too long in the pestilent furnace that was the Jordan Valley. A chronic lack of basic supplies and a variety of deadly diseases took a steady toll on the Australian forces. Lyons writes graphically on what this meant. Men wasted away, some died, others lost their minds. The regiment almost ceased to be a formation he could recognize. It was incredibly hard on the horses too. In the modern age the business of keeping horses healthy is alien to most of us. Here we read of disease and starvation, days without water and bellies full of sand. A thrown shoe or too cold a night could leave a horse unable to carry his rider. It was surprising how complicated being a cavalryman could be.
As for combat, the author sees plenty of it, some at the closest of quarters. Combat at night in particular was likely to see bayonet or rifle-but use, certainly this was the author’s experience. There was also vicious shelling and even air-raids. Towards the end they encounter German crewed machine guns and find them to be suicidally committed to their role. There are many casualties and perhaps the most sobering element of this is that the men become so enured to it.
A very interesting element of this memoir are the extensive reflections the author goes into. He writes in great detail on Australia’s role with Britain, particularly of Australia being young and free of the class issues inherent there. There is also much on his attitudes to officers, rear-area troops, military police and the role of brothels. Another is his shock at the horrors of war and how they shake his biblical beliefs, something he recognizes is quite ironic given he is serving in the Holy Land. He doesn’t see too much that is Holy though. He despises the inhabitants (and there are many stories of rough conduct towards them) and finds most places decrepit or faked. It is a remarkable deposition for a man of these times (the book was first published in 1931). The views have clearly been carefully considered before being strongly delivered (it seems the author was a lawyer post-war) and they make this memoir stand out from most others. This is intriguing as the author is not as explicit when writing of the front. He never specifies his regiment or names a comrade beyond a surname. It is quite likely too that these are pseudonyms, given Lyons himself writes under a pen-name (apparently he was concerned about reaction to his negative views). There is still much that is graphic on battle and killing but the reservation shown likely stems from the author’s strong hatred of war and the epic waste of life that he saw at such close hand. A strong memoir on several levels 4 stars
Re: Australian Memoirs
Hell’s Bells & Mademoiselles by Joe Maxwell VC
Originally published 1932. This edition HarperCollins, Sydney, 2012. Hardcover, 271 pages.
Maxwell considered himself British so enlisted for patriotic reasons. He served from Gallipoli to the end of the war in France with the 18th Battalion, 5th Brigade, 2nd Australian Division. He had remarkable luck during this period, apparently not receiving any serious wounds, while being decorated for bravery multiple times, including with the Victoria Cross.
Maxwell was still a teenager when he entered combat. His unit arrived on Gallipoli in August and after looking at the shore he reacted with the thought of ‘what a damn fool I’ve been to come here’. While his battalion suffered notably, Maxwell wrote little on this phase. Mostly he seems to have been a stretcher bearer but he does write briefly on having to dig in amongst Turkish dead, so it was no holiday.
The bulk of Maxwell’s war service then was on the Western Front. He is in many battles and ultimately becomes an officer. The most notable thing about his account is the enormous loss of life. There were many ways to die and he is witness to some extraordinary things. One shell kills fourteen men, at other times he is the only surviving officer. Living and dying was a matter of luck and the stories almost bewilder the reader. Maxwell often laments the loss of comrades, especially the ‘stalwarts’ and at the end there are literally only a handful remaining of the 300 men that formed the company in 1915. He records many tragedies, including some German ones.
As for combat, the most significant passages cover Ypres and then the battles of 1918. Most of these are on the offensive and include attacking trenches and blockhouses. While there is a considerable amount in terms of casualties suffered and the gory nature of war Maxwell is almost quiet on his own personal doings. For instance, he writes of some of the events the lead to his winning the Victoria Cross, like being captured while attempting to secure the surrender of a German position. Yet in his escape he fails to mention that he killed two Germans with a pistol he had hidden. This may be because of modesty, even shame/regret but earlier he revealed mistakenly shooting dead a German who was attempting to surrender. Indeed, he almost seems to be more observer than combatant. It seems strange but perhaps it reflects the tone and style of the times. Even so, it was quite a seller in its day.
A lot is written about out of the line antics, including being in the company of French ladies. This is never sordid but he does go into quite a bit of detail about who he saw and when and so on. I’d have preferred a bit more of this attention being given to the Front but I guess it was all very remarkable to such a young man and he recorded his whole adventure. There is also a lot about friends and quite a few members of the battalion are mentioned by name. At the end though the message is clear that war is an awful tragedy and Maxwell came home with many demons. This was a worthy book to republish. The style is certainly a bit dated but the realities of the Australian experience are made very clear. Recommended 4 stars.
Originally published 1932. This edition HarperCollins, Sydney, 2012. Hardcover, 271 pages.
Maxwell considered himself British so enlisted for patriotic reasons. He served from Gallipoli to the end of the war in France with the 18th Battalion, 5th Brigade, 2nd Australian Division. He had remarkable luck during this period, apparently not receiving any serious wounds, while being decorated for bravery multiple times, including with the Victoria Cross.
Maxwell was still a teenager when he entered combat. His unit arrived on Gallipoli in August and after looking at the shore he reacted with the thought of ‘what a damn fool I’ve been to come here’. While his battalion suffered notably, Maxwell wrote little on this phase. Mostly he seems to have been a stretcher bearer but he does write briefly on having to dig in amongst Turkish dead, so it was no holiday.
The bulk of Maxwell’s war service then was on the Western Front. He is in many battles and ultimately becomes an officer. The most notable thing about his account is the enormous loss of life. There were many ways to die and he is witness to some extraordinary things. One shell kills fourteen men, at other times he is the only surviving officer. Living and dying was a matter of luck and the stories almost bewilder the reader. Maxwell often laments the loss of comrades, especially the ‘stalwarts’ and at the end there are literally only a handful remaining of the 300 men that formed the company in 1915. He records many tragedies, including some German ones.
As for combat, the most significant passages cover Ypres and then the battles of 1918. Most of these are on the offensive and include attacking trenches and blockhouses. While there is a considerable amount in terms of casualties suffered and the gory nature of war Maxwell is almost quiet on his own personal doings. For instance, he writes of some of the events the lead to his winning the Victoria Cross, like being captured while attempting to secure the surrender of a German position. Yet in his escape he fails to mention that he killed two Germans with a pistol he had hidden. This may be because of modesty, even shame/regret but earlier he revealed mistakenly shooting dead a German who was attempting to surrender. Indeed, he almost seems to be more observer than combatant. It seems strange but perhaps it reflects the tone and style of the times. Even so, it was quite a seller in its day.
A lot is written about out of the line antics, including being in the company of French ladies. This is never sordid but he does go into quite a bit of detail about who he saw and when and so on. I’d have preferred a bit more of this attention being given to the Front but I guess it was all very remarkable to such a young man and he recorded his whole adventure. There is also a lot about friends and quite a few members of the battalion are mentioned by name. At the end though the message is clear that war is an awful tragedy and Maxwell came home with many demons. This was a worthy book to republish. The style is certainly a bit dated but the realities of the Australian experience are made very clear. Recommended 4 stars.
Re: Australian Memoirs
The Hell, the Humour and the Heartbreak by Bert Bishop
Kangaroo Press, 1991. Paperback, 268 pages.
Bert enlisted as soon as he turned eighteen, the sinking of the US Lusitania by a German submarine delivering the final push. He went to Egypt with the 9th Reinforcements of the 19th Battalion but he became part of the newly raised 55th Battalion, part of 14th Brigade, 5th Australian Division. He was at Fromelles, Polygon Wood (Ypres) and all of the actions in 1918.
Bert was a young, idealistic fellow who knew little of the world outside his rural home. The training is a heap of fun to him and he is impressed by the quality of his comrades, several of whom take him (and his cousin) under their wing. A remarkable insight into the times is that the subsequent international sea journey is his dream come true. Then there are the astounding sights of Egypt and tough conditioning training. Bert finds it all amazing and it is indicative of how many young Australians reacted to it all.
Then they’re off to France. Bert describes vividly his first journey to the front, which is surprisingly quiet. It is no preparation to the disastrous introduction to battle that was Fromelles. In little more than a day, the 5th Division lost over 5,500 men. It remains the most costly day of battle by Australia. Several battalions are decimated, though Bert is lucky that his wasn’t as fully engaged. His family still suffers significantly though. Bert’s descriptions of the confusion and the carnage are powerful. His grief at the losses is very heartfelt. There is no false bravado or Anzac mythology here. There are self-inflicted wounds and supply failures. It is also the start of Bert losing faith in senior command and politicians.
The next battle, Polygon Wood goes much better, though Bert later has a long stint sick. He is back for the key battles of 1918. He is at Villers-Bretonneux and then in the important Australian offensives from Amiens to the Hindenburg line. After Peronne though, the battalion is only 80 strong and has not a single officer left. Bert receives a MM but is left with almost no comrades. All of this leaves Bert utterly war weary. It is a melancholy transition from the eighteen year old who had marveled at the world.
The concluding chapters hit home very powerfully. The impact of the war leaves Bert and the reader stunned. While I thought initially Bert’s writing was a little simple, it seems more likely that he used this as a device to convey his youthful nature, as the horror of the war is ever more graphically and skillfully shown. Bert conveys powerfully the tragedy and the sheer awfulness. Sometimes only a stroke of luck or a split-second hunch saves his life. There is also the angst he feels killing a man on a beautiful summer’s day. The strength of this book is that the author is brutally honest about what he sees and how he felt. It was published in 1991, so it is written using modern language that is easily relatable, which is not now the case for many of the other WW1 memoirs, most published in the 1930s. Indeed, it is a more potent book than the classics ‘Backs to the Wall’ by Mitchell or ‘The Desert Column’ by Idriess. It does not celebrate the larrikin or entertain through storytelling, it reveals candidly how an idealistic young man lost his innocence and almost his life in a horrific war. Very highly recommended! 4 ¾ stars
.
Kangaroo Press, 1991. Paperback, 268 pages.
Bert enlisted as soon as he turned eighteen, the sinking of the US Lusitania by a German submarine delivering the final push. He went to Egypt with the 9th Reinforcements of the 19th Battalion but he became part of the newly raised 55th Battalion, part of 14th Brigade, 5th Australian Division. He was at Fromelles, Polygon Wood (Ypres) and all of the actions in 1918.
Bert was a young, idealistic fellow who knew little of the world outside his rural home. The training is a heap of fun to him and he is impressed by the quality of his comrades, several of whom take him (and his cousin) under their wing. A remarkable insight into the times is that the subsequent international sea journey is his dream come true. Then there are the astounding sights of Egypt and tough conditioning training. Bert finds it all amazing and it is indicative of how many young Australians reacted to it all.
Then they’re off to France. Bert describes vividly his first journey to the front, which is surprisingly quiet. It is no preparation to the disastrous introduction to battle that was Fromelles. In little more than a day, the 5th Division lost over 5,500 men. It remains the most costly day of battle by Australia. Several battalions are decimated, though Bert is lucky that his wasn’t as fully engaged. His family still suffers significantly though. Bert’s descriptions of the confusion and the carnage are powerful. His grief at the losses is very heartfelt. There is no false bravado or Anzac mythology here. There are self-inflicted wounds and supply failures. It is also the start of Bert losing faith in senior command and politicians.
The next battle, Polygon Wood goes much better, though Bert later has a long stint sick. He is back for the key battles of 1918. He is at Villers-Bretonneux and then in the important Australian offensives from Amiens to the Hindenburg line. After Peronne though, the battalion is only 80 strong and has not a single officer left. Bert receives a MM but is left with almost no comrades. All of this leaves Bert utterly war weary. It is a melancholy transition from the eighteen year old who had marveled at the world.
The concluding chapters hit home very powerfully. The impact of the war leaves Bert and the reader stunned. While I thought initially Bert’s writing was a little simple, it seems more likely that he used this as a device to convey his youthful nature, as the horror of the war is ever more graphically and skillfully shown. Bert conveys powerfully the tragedy and the sheer awfulness. Sometimes only a stroke of luck or a split-second hunch saves his life. There is also the angst he feels killing a man on a beautiful summer’s day. The strength of this book is that the author is brutally honest about what he sees and how he felt. It was published in 1991, so it is written using modern language that is easily relatable, which is not now the case for many of the other WW1 memoirs, most published in the 1930s. Indeed, it is a more potent book than the classics ‘Backs to the Wall’ by Mitchell or ‘The Desert Column’ by Idriess. It does not celebrate the larrikin or entertain through storytelling, it reveals candidly how an idealistic young man lost his innocence and almost his life in a horrific war. Very highly recommended! 4 ¾ stars
.
Re: Australian WW1 Memoirs
Participation by Humprey Kempe
Hawthorne Press, Melbourne, 1973. Hardcover, 200 pages.
Kempe was a farm lad who grew up in South Australia. When war came he enlisted early and was sent as a reinforcement to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment in time to land with the unit on Gallipoli. Following this campaign he then served in Palestine until the end of the war in 1918. The majority of his time here was with a machine-gun squadron which was a 1st Brigade and even division asset.
Much of Kempe’s time on Gallipoli is spent at Quinn’s Post. His descriptions of trench life are quite descriptive. It is a foetid area and supplies and water are few. As for the combat, Kempe uses the strong analogy that it was like being involved in a serious car accident ever hour for a whole day and night. This is very jarring but for the most part he refers to combat itself in the terms of ‘we’ rather than ‘I’. The 3rd is in reserve during the major counter-attack of 19th May. Later, Kemp is wounded and evacuated but returns in July. He is an observer of the Lone Pine and Nek attacks and interestingly sees the red marker flags in the Turkish trench-line.
Following Gallipoli, the Lighthorsemen are reunited with their horses and go into battle in the Holy Land. Kempe is at Romani, Katia, Rafa and Gaza, in fact pretty much all the actions of the Desert Mounted Corps. There are a few places where he reveals elements of his combat involvement. He is part of the machine-gun squadron at this point but is not a Vickers gunner himself. There are certainly casualties inflicted and received. There are also air-attacks and the disconcerting feeling of not being able to find his horse for a retreat! There is considerable detail about much of what he sees, including the awful Jordan Valley, archaeology and the native peoples. He admired Allenby and writes of the importance of being informed of objectives. At the end he comes down with Malaria but he has done the full trip by this time.
The rest of his book is concerned with turning his post-war property into productive land and his thoughts on revisiting the places he fought in as a young man. This was surprisingly interesting. He is even invited to the Middle-East in the late 60s to advise there on agricultural issues. He revisits his old battlegrounds and has some interesting things to say about the political situation as it stood then. The most remarkable thing though was his return to Gallipoli in 1950! Aside from the post-war trips to bury the dead, there was little prospect of visiting there as we know it now. It was quite a feat to arrange it as he did and he must be one of a mere handful who managed it at this early time. The book then concludes with the author’s thoughts on the use of land, water and even synthetic foods. He was quite a thoughtful fellow and quite prescient a times regarding his assessments and predictions.
This is certainly a fascinating book in several ways but the war experiences are my focus. These are quite interesting but the author is a little coy on his personal doings. His descriptions overall are very informative and useful and being written in the 1970s are conveyed in a style that is easily digested. This is quite a good source for those researching the campaigns concerned. Recommended. 3 ¼ stars
Hawthorne Press, Melbourne, 1973. Hardcover, 200 pages.
Kempe was a farm lad who grew up in South Australia. When war came he enlisted early and was sent as a reinforcement to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment in time to land with the unit on Gallipoli. Following this campaign he then served in Palestine until the end of the war in 1918. The majority of his time here was with a machine-gun squadron which was a 1st Brigade and even division asset.
Much of Kempe’s time on Gallipoli is spent at Quinn’s Post. His descriptions of trench life are quite descriptive. It is a foetid area and supplies and water are few. As for the combat, Kempe uses the strong analogy that it was like being involved in a serious car accident ever hour for a whole day and night. This is very jarring but for the most part he refers to combat itself in the terms of ‘we’ rather than ‘I’. The 3rd is in reserve during the major counter-attack of 19th May. Later, Kemp is wounded and evacuated but returns in July. He is an observer of the Lone Pine and Nek attacks and interestingly sees the red marker flags in the Turkish trench-line.
Following Gallipoli, the Lighthorsemen are reunited with their horses and go into battle in the Holy Land. Kempe is at Romani, Katia, Rafa and Gaza, in fact pretty much all the actions of the Desert Mounted Corps. There are a few places where he reveals elements of his combat involvement. He is part of the machine-gun squadron at this point but is not a Vickers gunner himself. There are certainly casualties inflicted and received. There are also air-attacks and the disconcerting feeling of not being able to find his horse for a retreat! There is considerable detail about much of what he sees, including the awful Jordan Valley, archaeology and the native peoples. He admired Allenby and writes of the importance of being informed of objectives. At the end he comes down with Malaria but he has done the full trip by this time.
The rest of his book is concerned with turning his post-war property into productive land and his thoughts on revisiting the places he fought in as a young man. This was surprisingly interesting. He is even invited to the Middle-East in the late 60s to advise there on agricultural issues. He revisits his old battlegrounds and has some interesting things to say about the political situation as it stood then. The most remarkable thing though was his return to Gallipoli in 1950! Aside from the post-war trips to bury the dead, there was little prospect of visiting there as we know it now. It was quite a feat to arrange it as he did and he must be one of a mere handful who managed it at this early time. The book then concludes with the author’s thoughts on the use of land, water and even synthetic foods. He was quite a thoughtful fellow and quite prescient a times regarding his assessments and predictions.
This is certainly a fascinating book in several ways but the war experiences are my focus. These are quite interesting but the author is a little coy on his personal doings. His descriptions overall are very informative and useful and being written in the 1970s are conveyed in a style that is easily digested. This is quite a good source for those researching the campaigns concerned. Recommended. 3 ¼ stars
Re: Australian WW1 Memoirs
Just wanted to chime in and say, especially for the benefit of international members, that with the centenary of Gallipoli fast approaching, many memoirs which might previously have been unavailable, out of print or whatever will probably surface again, so if you're interested now would be time to start keeping an eye out.
I just bought my father a book for Father's Day about Australian pilots during World War I, will have to see what his verdict is.
Cheers,
Adam.
I just bought my father a book for Father's Day about Australian pilots during World War I, will have to see what his verdict is.
Cheers,
Adam.
Re: Australian WW1 Memoirs
Hi Adam, yes you are absolutely right. One of the books above, 'The Gallant Company' by H. R. Williams has just been reissued under the title of 'An Anzac on the Western Front'. See here -
http://www.amazon.com/Anzac-Western-Fro ... r-mr-title
I imagine - and hope! that others follow. As my reviews suggest, I think Bishop's is the best bet in terms of a reprint. I tried to write to the publisher to prompt them but they had no email address!
http://www.amazon.com/Anzac-Western-Fro ... r-mr-title
I imagine - and hope! that others follow. As my reviews suggest, I think Bishop's is the best bet in terms of a reprint. I tried to write to the publisher to prompt them but they had no email address!
Re: Australian WW1 Memoirs
Hi Larso,
Just took a look at the Amazon link you posted, looks like a fantastic book! Even better because it's available to download on Kindle, makes life a lot easier. Once I finish the book i'm currently reading i'll get onto it. And yes, looking forward to seeing what else becomes available - old and new - as the centenary gets closer.
Hope all is well in Brissy!
Cheers,
Adam.
Just took a look at the Amazon link you posted, looks like a fantastic book! Even better because it's available to download on Kindle, makes life a lot easier. Once I finish the book i'm currently reading i'll get onto it. And yes, looking forward to seeing what else becomes available - old and new - as the centenary gets closer.
Hope all is well in Brissy!
Cheers,
Adam.