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MILITARY, WARS and
WARTIME BOOKS -1- |
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Life's Little Oddities - Robert Lynd
J.M Dent (1941). 236 pp. 1st Edition. Hardback, light brown cloth boards, with illustrated d/j both in very good condition. Some light wear and some tanning to spine of d/j. Binding firm and pages bright. NZD: 6.50 / P & P: B A collection of short stories by Robert Wilson Lynd, an Irish writer, an urbane literary essayist and strong Irish nationalist. The stories give a fascinating insight into details of daily life in London during both world wars. Stories range from descriptions of behaviour during air raids to essays on manners and clothing styles. 
I'll Go To bed At Noon - Stephen Haggard
Faber and Faber (1944). 105pp. Hardback, light blue cloth with d/w, both in VG+ condition. Tight binding and pages clean and bright. With a touching inscription on the fep written by the owner: "June 1944 - A present to myself which I shall value and heed, being the writings of one of the nicest men I have ever met." Betty E. Oughton, Sutton - Surrey NZD: 9.50 / P & P : B A critical perspective on World War II. Haggard, a descendant of Rider Haggard, was a successful actor in both films ("Jamaica Inn" -1939) and on stage in the 1930's, in Europe as well as the USA. At the outbreak of the Second World War Haggard joined the British Army, serving as a captain in the Intelligence Corps. His wife and two sons went to the United States in 1940, where his father was consul-general in New York. Shortly after their departure, he wrote his sons a letter, which was subsequently published in the Atlantic Monthly later that year as "I'll Go to Bed at Noon: A Soldier's Letter to His Sons." According to his wishes it was then published in a book form after his death in February 1943, when he was shot dead in mysterious circumstances on a train going from Jerusalem to Cairo. 
Pack of Thieves - Richard Z. Chesnoff
Paperback in excellent condition. Numerous B&W photos. Published by Phoenix (2001). 326pp. NZD: 5.50 / P & P : C How Hitler and Europe Plundered the Jews and Committed the Greatest Theft in History. It was the largest organised robbery in history - the systematic looting of Europe's Jews by the Nazis and most of the nations of Europe: Axis, Allied and Neutral. Now for the first time, prize-winning journalist Richard Z. Chesnoff, details the full scope of this monumental theft of money, gold, jewels, art, and property that began in Germany with the rise of Hitler, continued through the Holocaust and Occupation of Europe and culminated in a post-war cloaking campaign that stretched from Scandinavia to the Balkans. Chesnoff, who was among the first newsmen to break the story that Swiss banks were still hoarding the assets of Holocaust victims, travelled to eleven countries to research this compelling story of human greed. With direct access to hitherto classified files and through exclusive interviews with bankers, government and Jewish officials, as well as the families of victims, Chesnoff tells a vivid tale that will make the headlines of tomorrow's newspapers. The book reveals new details that many governments and bank officials would prefer to remain secret and describes the detective work used to trace Holocaust assets still hidden in nations such as France, Norway and the Netherlands. With a deftness that comes with a newsman's understanding of events, he explains why it has taken more then fifty years for the world to begin to come to terms with this massive plunder. Chesnoff has had the advantage of unlimited support from the World Jewish Congress and in particular the millionaire Edgar Bronfman. 
All in the Day's March - MG David Belchem
Hardback (8vo) in excellent condition with brown cloth covers with gilt titling to the spine, pictorial d/w in very good condition . Collins (1978). First Edition. 322pp. 16 pages of B & W photos & 20 maps. NZD: 8.50 / P & P : C Major-General David Belchem, head of Field Marshal Montgomery's operations staff 1943-5 in the Second World War. A military career that began under David Niven (Term under-Officer at Sandhurst) and ended with several years close association with Field Marshal Montgomery can hardly have lacked variety. General Belchem's account combines the gaiety of the first with the professionalism of the second. Few soldiers have seen more both of battle and of the direction of battle. Although he left the army as by far its youngest general he had packed in more experience than would be ordinarily possible in the lifetimes of a dozen officers. His account of the World War 2 campaigns is notably vivid and interesting, not least in his record of the Ardennes battle. 
Swamp Fox : The Life and Campaigns of General Francis Marion by Robert D. Bass
Vintage hardback in excellent condition with d/j complete but in average used condition. Some light foxing on pages edge. South Carolina War Map on feps. Alvin Redman (1960). 277pp. NZD: 12.50 / P & P : B One of the most fascinating figures of the American Revolution, General Francis Marion slipped in and out of the Carolina swamps to strike sudden, devastating blows against the British. Cutting through the Swamp Fox legend, Robert Bass has arrived at a realistic and fascinating appraisal of this military genius. The Life and Campaigns of the phantom guerrilla, Francis Marion, who terrorized the Tories from White Marsh to Black Mingo, is primarily a close but spirited chronology of the raids and routs he led against the British. A humane man, a dedicated soldier with a devotion to duty and a worship of liberty, Marion was also a taciturn, moody and introverted character. With an intuitive sense of strategy, particularly that of the swift advance and the rapid retreat, he became a sound and savage fighter, and while illiterate, rose from the ranks as an unknown captain to become a Brigadier General. Here, bivouac by bivouac are the battles and the sieges in which he engaged; the daring rescue of 150 Rebel prisoners from Sumter's house; the bedevilment and the destruction of the British is small diversionary actions; and the indefatigable endurance of that gaunt, ill-kempt, gallant fighter who became a nemesis to Cornwallis and the entire British Army.... 
An Approach to Sanity - Field Marshal Montgomery
A Study of East-West Relations Hardback in excellent condition. Black cloth boards showing no signs of wear and with gilt lettering on spine. Pages clean and binding tight/solid. No inscriptions. D/w in VG+ condition but faded on back and spine and with a few minor bumps here and there. Overall, a nice well preserved item well over 50 years of age... First edition published by Collins (1959). 94pp. NZD: 12.50 / P & P : B "Essays and articles on East-West relations in which the Field Marshal presents his points crisply enough, but in such a way that the reader must either take them or leave them alone". "A book which expands some newspaper articles and Montgomery's Chichele Lectures at Oxford, and brings the ideas of the outspoken field-marshal up to date. There's bite and challenge to his direct approach; he reports his conversations with Khrushchev in a way to support his contention that we have a new set of conditions to be met with a new set of flexible, informed, decisions. Implicitly critical at times- strongly advocating Mr. Macmillan's position, these studies belong in the current scene". All the above reviews date back to the late 1950's and early 1960's, when tensions East-West were at their peak and the Cuban Missile crisis just round the corner to be uncovered, and in today's far more complex world it could appear as a somewhat simplistic view of a black and white world of politics... Nonetheless, this book shows that Field Marshal Montgomery was at times a visionary although perhaps not an astute politician, especially for these dangerous times of the Cold War. 
This Our Army - Captain J.R. Kennedy
Hardback in very good used condition. Bound in red cloth. No d/w. First edition published by Hutchinson (1935). 286 pp. + 24pp advertisements. Illustrated with 8 photographs. Light foxing on early pages up to title page. Light water stains to boards and mild spine fading. Inscribed on the inside front cover with name and address. Very VERY SCARCE and collectible item. NZD: 16.50 / P & P : C A document of crucial importance at the time of its publication just before World War II, this book exposed facts and figures to show the neglect of the British Forces as Adolph Hitler was actively preparing for war... This evaluation of the British Army in 1935 includes the following chapters: The Army is the Nation's. The Reticence of the War Office. The Suppression of Military Criticism Within. The Suppression of Military Criticism Without. Jubilee Retrospect. Promotion. Attempts at Promotion Reform. The Reforms that are Necessary. Cavalry and the Army. Horses, their Cost and Influence. Our Air Defences. The Legal System. The Reserves – Wasted and Wasting Assets. For What is the Army to Train? Official Training in Theory. Official Training in Practice. Misspending on Education. The Inevitability of War. The General Staff and Mass Warfare. The Future Land Forces. 
The Road To War - Walter Laqueur
The Origin and Aftermath of the Arab-Israeli Conflict (1967-8) Paperback, with pictorial covers in very good condition. Pelican Books (1970). 457pp. Binding tight and with clean bright pages. Date inscribed on fep. NZD: 5.50 / P & P : A This is a well-documented account of the main milestones on the road that led to the Six-Day War and beyond. Walter Laqueur concentrates on those weeks of mounting tension and feverish diplomacy which preceded the outbreak of war, but he also analyses the underlying cause of the war - the clash of rival and irreconcilable nationalisms. He paints a surprising picture of the Middle East and world opinion: of the Arab nations torn by internal dissension and whipped into a war-frenzy by decades of irresponsible propaganda - yet stumbling unprepared into the long-awaited conflict; of an Israeli government which was unready and confused; and, on the sidelines, of Russia and America, two impotent super-powers outpaced by events and unable to restrain their proteges. And in a chapter written specially for this Pelican edition he brings the story of Middle-Eastern conflict up to date. 
Men at Arnhem - Tom Angus
Hardback in excellent used condition, with d/j in VG condition. Previous owner's name/address inscribed on fep. Leo Cooper (1976). 209pp. NZD: 8.50 / P & P : B When Men at Arnhem was first published in 1976 the author modestly concealed his identity behind a pseudonym and changed the names of his comrades in arms. But the book was at once recognised as one of the finest evocations of an infantryman's war ever written and those in the know were quick to identify the author. His cover has long since been blown, we now know that it was Geoffrey Powell who fought in those eight terrible days at Arnhem in September, 1944. The book cannot be said to be a military history in the strictest sense, even the units involved being unidentified, but the events described are, as the author points out in his introduction, as nearly accurate as memory allowed after a lapse of over thirty years. It is unlikely every to be surpassed as the most vivid first-hand account of one of those epic disasters which the British, in a paradoxical way, seem to cherish above and beyond the most glorious victories. It is a semi-fictional account of the role that Powell played; the names used are an invention and a little of the chronology has been altered in the interests of a smoother narrative, but all of the events portrayed are quite real and give a most vivid account of Powell's experiences. Yet this book is much more than one man's story, as it brilliantly describes life in a typical parachute rifle company during this most difficult and bloody of battles, and it is for these insights into the lot of the ordinary infantryman that it has rightly been acclaimed a classic. 
Armed with Stings - A. Cecil Hampshire
The Saga of a Gunboat Flotilla Hardback with blue cloth boards in very good used condition. Top and bottom of spine bumped, otherwise boards very clean and unmarked. Tight binding and clean pages. No d/j. William Kimber. First Edition (1958). 205pp. Numerous b&w photographs of ships. A very rare book indeed, especially in its First Edition, sadly without the nice d/j which did not survive the 50+ years of handling... NZD: 19.50 / P & P : B This is an account of the twelve Insect Class ships of the Royal Navy (All this gunboats had insect names: HMS Mantis, HMS Gnat etc..). These were river gunboats able to penetrate the shallowest of waters. Small and powerfully armed, they were launched during the Great War, in 1915 on the orders of none other than Winston Churchill. For security reasons all vessels were to be referred to as “China Gunboats” while under construction. Whilst none of these boats were ever destined for the fame or notoriety of many of the "big" ships from the world's leading navies, they did see service in World War One and World War Two and acquitted themselves extremely well. All the Insects were built to identical blueprints. In length they measured 230 feet between perpendiculars and 237 feet 6 inches overall. They had a beam of 36 feet and a depth of 8 feet 6 inches, flat bottomed with a mean draft of 4 feet. Their steel plating was thin by warship standards - only five-sixteenths of an inch amidships tapering to about one-eighth of an inch at the ends. Their propelling machinery was designed to produce 2000 indicated horse power and a top speed of 14 knots though this was often exceeded while on active service. 
War Brides - Marion Craig Wentworth ----- A Play in One Act
Hardback, green cloth spine in excellent condition. No d/w. Lovely B/W frontispiece. Tight binding and pages clean and bright. Published by The Century Co. (1915). 72pp. NZD: 12.50 / P & P : B Book plate and hand inscribed with name of past owner: Captain Frederick Ernest Whitton, a World War One hero ( Victory Medal, British War Medal Duty Location: King’s Birthday Honour List Gallantry Awards: Companion of St Michael and St George). Later became Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Ernest Whitton, C.M.G., B.A. Late Prince of Wales's Leicester Regiment. Formerly Secretary, Historical Section, Committee of Imperial Defence. Author of many books on war and the history of regiments: The Marne Campaign, A History of Poland ... A quaint little book and an excellent play-script questioning the role of women, especially in the time of war. Published as the Great War was in its second year. "The war brides were cheered with enthusiasm and the churches were crowded when the wedding parties spoke the ceremony in concert. -Press clipping. SCENE: A room in a peasant's cottage in a war-ridden country. A large fireplace at the right. Near it a high-backed settle. On the left a heavy oak table and benches. Woven mats on the floor. A door at left leads into a bedroom. In the corner a cupboard. At the back a wide window with scarlet geraniums and an open door. A few firearms are stacked near the fireplace. There is an air of homely colour and neatness about the room. " This play was first produced during the WW I, on January 25th 1915, at B.F. KEITH'S PALACE THEATRE, NEW YORK CITY. In 1916 a B&W silent film, directed by Herbert Brenon, was produced from this play. 
Battle Dress - Frederick Wilkinson
Large hardback with pictorial d/w, both in excellent condition. Tan cloth boards with gilt lettering on spine. No inscriptions. Pages bright and clean & printed on thick quality glossy paper. Numerous photographs: 272 in all, including 32 in colour. Guinness Signatures (1970). 256pp + index (xvi). NZD: 16.50 / P & P - NZD: 6.00 In nature, it is almost invariably found that the most gorgeous colouring and flamboyant decoration is displayed by the male of the species; and despite a few dreary interludes (from which Western man is apparently emerging even now), mankind has followed the same practice throughout much of history. It has been only in the last four centuries of "modern" history that the basic design of military dress has been regulated by considerations of national and unit identity. The complexity of modern armed forces increased rapidly, and by the opening years of the 19th Century the uniforms and insignia of European armies had proliferated to such a degree that their study represents today a whole new field of scholarship. Military dress is a field which has enjoyed the attention of growing numbers of enthusiasts over the past few years, and many works have been published which seek to provide information on every aspect of the development of the soldier's costume down the centuries. Battle Dress is a gallery, presenting for the interest of collector and general reader alike some of the most significant and attractive milestones in the evolution of military dress. Wilkinson's informative and highly readable text is illustrated throughout by photographs from the country's most important collections and museums, and by a superb series of colour plates specially commissioned from the studios of Michael Dyer Associates. 
Special Operations Executed - Michael Lees
In Serbia and Italy Large hardback with d/j, both in excellent condition, as new. Numerous maps and B&W photographs. Publisher: William Kimber (1986). 278pp. NZD: 10.50 / P & P NZD: C These are the true and highly individual wartime experiences of Michael Lees, a British Liaison Officer in S.O.E. carrying out sabotage missions in Serbia and Northern Italy. With World War II already much advanced, Michael Lees felt there was a danger of missing out in the war as his battalion returned from the Middle East. He was a fighting soldier who was ever eager to face the enemy. He joined the S.O.E. and soon found himself in Yugoslavia with the Mihailovic Cetnik movement. He carried out extensive railway sabotage operations with the help of these Cetniks, having to contend with the political problems between his Cetnik hosts and their sworn enemies the Tito Partisans. He vividly describes how he organised such attacks and survived from day to day in the hills. When his superiors decided to abandon Mihailovic and to evacuate the Missions, he was immediately placed in an extremely precarious position. Nevertheless, while waiting to be flown out, he continued to execute derailment raids alone without any Yugoslav personnel, thus earning himself the tag of "a wild man"! Soon after, he was dropped into Piedmont in North West Italy and then walked through the lines to Southern France bringing out two important members of the Italian Resistance. In the Apennines he located a German Army HQ in the plains near Reggio Emilia and took part in the raid on the HQ, led by the SAS under the redoubtable Roy Farran. Lees was badly wounded in the fight and had a near miraculous escape thanks to the loyalty and organisation of his Italian Resistance colleagues and the SAS. This first-rate memoir reflects the true atmosphere of war and describes the S.O.E. World War 2 sabotage activities which called for the highest degree of courage and daring. 
Gossip from the Forest - Thomas Keneally
Hardback with d/w, both in excellent as NEW condition. Published by Hodder & Stoughton (1983). 240pp. NZD: 9.00 / P & P NZD: B At the end of the Great War, in November 1918, in a railway carriage in a forest near Paris, six men meet to negotiate an end to the terrible slaughter of World War One. Threatened by famine and anarchy at home, the Germans struggle to mitigate the punishing terms offered by the Allies. But both sides are torn by battle exhaustion and a confusion that far exceed their national differences. In this riveting combination of history, speculation and rumour, Thomas Keneally recreates the personalities, ideals, prejudices, arguments and desperate measures that resulted in the armistice which would shape the future of Europe after the First World War. Unable to face a victorious enemy they considered inferior, German aristocrats delved into their Civil Service to find four men to face the wrathful victors to bring about a peace. Thomas Keneally has searched into the histories of these four, so poorly equipped to face such immense anger, resurrecting them to become the central figures in a drama of foregone conclusions. Keneally does a great job of adding depth to the chief characters in the German delegation. The sense of despair drips from each page as these men come to understand they are there to sign their own death warrants. Although Keneally also explores the Allied side, it is the four members of the German Armistice delegation that bring raw emotion to this book. 
The Deniable Agent - Colin Berry
Undercover in Afghanistan Large format paperback in excellent, near new condition. Published by Mainstream Publishing (2007). 272pp. NZD: 7.50 / P & P NZD: A A gripping account of life in 'liberated' Afghanistan by a former soldier working undercover for British intelligence. A truly terrifying tale. As far as Colin Berry's family was concerned, he'd gone to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban to market low-cost modular housing; but the truth was much more complicated. Berry, a former soldier, had been recruited by British intelligence to secretly buy back weapons systems which had been delivered to the Mujahideen during their struggle against the Soviets. Giving riveting insight into the covert world of intelligence, Berry reveals his involvement in reconnaissance missions to remote mountain villages where he was able to see first hand the ravaging effects of decades of warfare. The story culminates in a hotel room shootout that left two Afghans injured and Berry himself seriously wounded. He finally reveals the truth about what happened in the Intercontinental Hotel that night, as well as how he spent nearly a year in a stinking Afghan jail. Colin Berry spent several years in the British Army before leaving to follow a civilian career. He now works as a project manager for a major civil engineering company and lives with his family in Essex. 
Forecast for Overlord: June 6, 1944 by J.M. Stagg
Hardback with blue cloth boards / red lettering on spine, with pictorial d/w in very good + condition. Inscriptions (?) on fep have been blanked out (discreetly) and the usual signs of wear are pretty light for a book over 40 years of age. With six weather charts of the days leading to D-Day. Published by Ian Allan (1971). 1st Edition. 130pp. Very RARE item, out of print for nearly 40 years. NZD: 14.50 / P & P NZD: C The beginning of the end of World War 2 in Europe depended on what were arguably the three most critical forecasts in history -- two successful ones by the Allies and one failure by the Germans. Written by General Eisenhower's chief weatherman, described by Eisenhower as "a dour but canny Scot," this book gives a first-hand account of a small but crucial aspect of the Allied invasion of Europe in June 1944. For many weeks the author had been presenting trial forecasts to the supreme commander. As the Allied naval forces gained momentum toward the coast of France, so also did the storm areas of the Atlantic, so that the twenty-four hours before the scheduled time of landing, engines had to be reversed and operations suspended, leaving many thousands of Allied troops and seamen at peril on the high seas. It was a frightening responsibility for the weatherman. The original day selected for the invasion, June 5, had to be abandoned at the last minute. On June 5 itself, in a final conference, the author announced that the bad conditions predicted the day before were actually prevailing and that if Allied troops had landed, disaster would have resulted. As it turned out, the day the author recommended, D day, June 6, was the last day the invasion could have taken place, "weather permitting," for the two succeeding months. 
Made in England - Verses by Owen Seaman
Paperback with blue d/w. General light age related wear, i.e. bumping and wear to boards and back strip, light fading od covers, some minor foxing to page edges. Overall good condition though... In fact, not bad for a centenarian..!! First Edition published by Constable (2nd printing 1916). NZD: 10.50 / P & P:B War poetry from the World War One. These verses were all originally published in Punch magazine. For 26 years Sir Owen Seaman, as editor of the humorous and satirical magazine Punch, was the virtual custodian of the English sense of humour - the quiet, chuckling type of humour that is so distinct from the European broadness and the American guffaw. For more years than that he was a brilliant parodist and a delightful author. Most of his poetry and writing was accordingly in a satiric and parodic vein. His simplicity was founded, like that of Lewis Carroll on a profound basis of scholarship. Sir Owen Seaman was knighted as the Great War started in 1914. In the New Year honours of 1933, immediately after his retirement from Punch, he was created a baronet. His published works include several volumes of exquisite parody as well as war poetry: "War Time," "Made In England," and "From the Home Front", all centred on the First World War. 
Hell or High Water - Neill Atkinson (Editor)
Large format paperback in very good condition. Published by Harper Collins NZ (2009). 272pp inc. Index. Numerous B&W photographs. NZD: 10.50 / P & P:B Drawn from interviews with the men who were there in the darkest days of a bloody and terrible conflict, Hell or High Water includes many stirring accounts of war at sea. During World War 2 thousands of New Zealanders served in New Zealand, British and other Allied merchant marines. Many braved the deadly German U-Boat threat during the Battle of the Atlantic - the longest campaign of the war - and sailed in perilous convoys to Arctic Russia, Malta and other high risk routes. Others manned transport and hospital ships and took part in the Allied landings in North Africa, Italy and Normandy, with 100 Kiwi merchant seafarers killed, 28 taken prisoner, five of whom died in Japanese captivity, but these figures are artificially low, with many others listed as general British losses. While these figures are small compared to other services, no other civilian group faced such constant risk and the vital contribution of this 'fourth' service has never received the recognition it deserves. The book includes first hand accounts from men who survived air and submarine attacks, sometimes enduring days adrift in open lifeboats, a seaman awarded the George Cross during the 1942 pedestal convoy to relieve Malta and another who spent three years in Changi prison, amongst many other stirring and poignant accounts of life at war. 
Hostage in Djakarta - Harold Lovestrand
Vintage paperback, with pictorial covers in very good condition. Binding tight and with clean bright pages. Published by Pyramid Publications (1969). 160pp. NZD: 6.00 / P & P:A A true tale which covers the period of impending Communist takeover [of Indonesia], the abortive coup and the bloody days that followed. ... Caught in the middle of a native uprising against the Indonesian government in West Irian, Harold Lovestrand stood by helplessly while his Bible school students were threatened and his family was exposed to the strains of an uneasy political situation. Endless frustrations and arbitrary decisions by minor military officials were only a part of what was to lead to an unjust accusation and a near-fatal imprisonment. He became a political pawn - cut off from his family and his country! Caught in the middle of a violent political upheaval, Harold Lovestrand was unjustly accused and imprisoned somewhere in Indonesia. For months he suffered the anguish of frustration and physical torture. Fear for the safety of his family, the grinding rigors of solitary confinement, and the battering of relentless questions stretched him to the very edge - the breaking point of his sanity. Hostage in Djakarta is the moving, dramatic story of Harold Lovestrand's magnificent battle to survive against the horrors of prison and the ravages of disease. It is the story of a man's unfailing courage and enduring faith in the face of certain death. 
Wartime Letters of Hugh & Margaret Williams - Edited by Kate Dunn
Always and Always Large hardback with pictorial d/w. A former library book with a couple of discreet stamps, still in excellent condition, including its d/w, since both were protected by a vinyl cover. Published by Bantam (2004). 290pp. NZD: 9.00 / P & P:B These are the wartime letters written between the famous actor, Hugh Williams, and his wife, the great beauty and actress, Margaret Vyner. They show two people deeply in love, but separated by war. They depict drama, frustration, pride at being part of the battle, and dreams for the future. Margaret was an international model, mythologised in song by Cole Porter in the lyrics of "You're the Top". With her actor husband, Hugh, Margaret wrote a number of stage hits, the most famous being "Charlie Girl". Their three children, Simon, Polly and Hugo, have all made names for themselves in "the business". 
Pig in the Middle - Desmond Hamill
The British Army in Northern Ireland 1969-1985 Paperback in excellent condition. Minor age fading of pages edge. Published by Methuen (1986). 356pp. H2. NZD: 5.00 / P & P:A Calling out the military in aid of the civil power was not, In Northern Ireland in 1969, a straightforward matter. At first the soldiers were welcomed with cups of tea; sixteen years later some still go home in their coffins. Over a long period of research, ITN reporter Desmond Hamill gained access to the decision-makers in the Army and at Whitehall best able to explain how the Army itself has seen and understood its role in Northern Ireland since 1969. Based largely both on their personal interviews, and on the views of the soldiers themselves, who have talked freely about the Army's role, this is the story of confusion of aims and ignorance of people and attitudes; of dogged determination, great courage, mistakes, many frustrations, and a few triumphs; it is also the authentic voice of the soldier at the sharp end. This book gives a fascinating and unique insight into a vital period of history. Fair, reliable and a compelling read which should be read at least twice by all subversives... 
Stoker's Submarine - Fred & Elizabeth Brenchley
Australia's Daring Raid on the Dardanelles on the Day of the Gallipoli Landing. Very hard to find paperback in excellent condition. Numerous B&W and colour illustrations. Harper Collins (2003). 320pp. NZD: 12.50 / P & P:B This is the untold story of Australia's AE2 submarine, its captain, and how they achieved a mission impossible. In World War One, on 25th April 1915 - the day the Anzacs landed at Gallipoli - Lieutenant Commander Dacre Stoker set out as captain of the Australian submarine AE2 on a mission to breach the treacherous Dardanelles Strait with the intention of disrupting Turkish supply lines to the isolated Gallipoli peninsula. Facing dangerous currents, mines and withering enemy fire, Stoker and his men succeeded where British and French submarines had come to grief. Stoker's achievement meant much in military terms, and even more emotionally in boosting the morale of embattled Allied troops during the Great War. But what was proclaimed at the time as 'the finest feat in submarine history' has since sunk into oblivion. Few Australians even know their country had a submarine at Gallipoli, much less that it achieved daring feats, torpedoed an enemy craft, and possibly played a pivotal role in Anzac troops staying on the beachhead for eight months. Now, finally, Stoker's Submarine tells the story of a remarkable naval hero and the men under his command. And AE2 herself, still lying intact on the floor of the Sea of Marmara, is celebrated as the most tangible relic of Australia's role at Gallipoli, the crucible of nationhood. |