Reviews: Australian WW2 Memoirs

[Larso]

'Smiles of Fortune' by John Holmes - 'A memoir of the war against Japan 1943 - 45'

Kangaroo Press, 2001, Paperback 119 pages

John volunteers and is sent to Africa where he waits as a replacement (I only learned recently that the 9th Div had 4,000 replacements available at the time of Alamain - hence it's leading roll in the battle). Initially he is interested in a non-combat roll (after being warned off the infantry by a World War 1 veteran) but as he meets the veterans of the 9th Div he feels bound to put himself forward in a more heroic manner and he finds assignment to the 2/13th Battalion. He is with this unit when it and the rest of the 9th Division return to Australia for deployment in the Pacific war.

John sees combat in New Guinea on Scarlet Beach and Sattelburg and the associated actions. By this time he is a strecher bearer and a medic and he is in the forefront of the advance. Given the nature of the terrain, thick vegetation and narrow tracks, it is essentially a matter of patrolling along until the scout is shot. The Japanese camoflague is very good and is usually not seen until it's too late. At this point Holmes crawls forward to treat and try and remove the casualties. For a small book, there are quite a few and Holmes' sadness for his comraders is clear. Indeed his connection to his friends helps him go into scenarios that are fraught with danger. Following this campaign Holmes division goes to Borneo but the action here is less intense.

This book is a short read. It is though a useful account of fighting in the jungles on the Pacific islands. Holmes does a good job in describing the nature of combat in this environment. In fact there don't seem to have been many that address the issues that he has raised. Recommended.

[Peter H]

Thanks.Looking forward to further reviews.

Peter

[Larso]

There might be a lot - a friend and I are edging towards writing a book about Australian war memoirs from all the wars. At this point I'm to concentrate on WW1 but I won't be able to help myself, WW2 draws me like a moth to a flame. It's surprising how many are available in the local Brisbane City Council libraries.