The Battle for Shaggy Ridge by Phillip Bradley

$32.99 AUD

Category: Military

An enlightening re-examination of an important campaign following the experiences of the men from both sides. 'You climb and climb . . . This is the field of battle . . . tonight some of us will be dead . . . You'll never forget Shaggy Ridge.' - Shawn O'Leary From the killing ground of Kaiapit to the tr eacherous heights of the Finisterre Range, for four months in 1943-44 the Australian army fought to drive the Japanese from their mountain strongholds. The most formidable position was the fortress-like Shaggy Ridge, its steep sides rising sharply to a knife-edge crest where battle was joined on a one-man front. Based on the accounts of over a hundred Australians, Americans and Japanese who served on, around and over the ridge, The Battle for Shaggy Ridge tells the story of this extraordinary struggle for control of the Ramu Valley in New Guinea. ...Show more

1942: The Year the War Came To Australia by Peter Grose

$32.99 AUD

Category: Military

The story of the bombing of Darwin and the Japanese midget sub attack on Sydney Harbour in one volume from the bestselling author of An Awkward Truth and A Very Rude Awakening. 'Grose's compassionate, honest and vivid account deserves to be widely read.' Sun Herald on An Awkward Truth 'About as good as any yarn can get . . . a great retelling of a great story.' Sydney Morning Herald on A Very Rude Awakening The bombing of Darwin by the Japanese on 19 February 1942 was the first foreign assault on Australian soil since settlement. The Japanese dropped more bombs on Darwin, killed more civilians in Darwin and sank more ships in Darwin than Pearl Harbor. Three months later, on 31 May 1942, three Japanese midget submarines crept into Sydney Harbour and caused an unforgettable night of mayhem, high farce, chaos and courage. The war was no longer confined to distant deserts and jungles. It has well and truly come to Australia. Absorbing, spirited and fast-paced, 1942: the year the war came to Australia tells the story of the under-armed and unprepared soldiers and civilians who faced their toughest test on home soil. ...Show more

No One Left Behind by Keith Payne

$44.99 AUD

$49.99 (10% off)

Category: Military

From the battlefields of Korea, Malaya and Vietnam to the struggle for veterans' welfare, Keith Payne has never shied away from a fight. More than 50 years ago, this bravery saw him receive the Commonwealth's highest military honour - the Victoria Cross. Keith grew up one of thirteen children in the sha dow of the Great Depression and the Second World War. After seeing his father come home wounded from war, Keith joined the army. He was sent to fight in Korea at just 18 years old, the bloody beginning to decades of military service across the world. Keith's life was defined by one night in 1969. In the dark jungle of Vietnam, under heavy enemy fire, Keith returned to a fled battlefield to rescue 40 of his soldiers. For his extreme act of bravery in leading his men to safety, Keith became the last Australian to earn the VC for 40 years. Keith spent decades in the public spotlight while struggling with his own demons, then found new purpose as an advocate for others. In a lifetime of service, he has helped not only veterans of foreign wars, but also Indigenous diggers and communities left behind by civilian and military bureaucracy. <i>No One Left Behind </i>tells, for the first time in his words, of Keith Payne's remarkable life. His definitive autobiography reveals the story of a big-hearted, iconic Australian and the heart and heartaches of a man who continues to fight for his mates. <b>Featuring a Foreword by Mark Donaldson VC</b> <b>Praise for <i>No One Left Behind </i></b>'The power is in the story. Keith Payne's life and story is a gift to our nation and the next generation. Born of hardship, a man shaped by the best and worst of human behaviour, who has loved and been loved by one woman. He fought wars for us, then in peace, the lived traumas he brought back with him. A life given ultimately for others. To read <i>No One Left Behind</i> is to accept the challenge to be a better person.' - Hon Dr Brendan Nelson AO 'Raw, brutal, compelling and very, very personal, Payne's account illuminates more than the grizzly and chaotic details of the battlefields he has seen. This reflective tale of an a remarkable Australian, placed in extraordinary circumstances, is also a story of the human condition - warts and all.' - Professor Craig Stockings 'At one level, Keith Payne's book is an exciting story of his exploits in wars from Korea to Vietnam, culminating in the award of the Victoria Cross for bravery. At a deeper level, his post-war experiences show that war unleashes demons in the mind that can overwhelm even the bravest of the brave.' - Dr Peter Yule 'In his own words Keith tells, humbly, how he not only saved 40 of his soldiers in Vietnam, but how he went on to help many, many more veterans in the years to come, while also striving to get on top of his own problems. I can't think of a better example to set ... take care of yourself, but never forget to look after your mates.' - Mark Donaldson VC ...Show more

Mont St Quentin: A Soldier's Battle by Bill Billett

$9.99 AUD

Category: Military

This is the story of the third significant Australian victory (after Viller-Brettoneux and Hamel)fought over 31 August to 5 September 1918. Mont St Quentin and Peronne, were both keys to German defence of the Somme River. The village of St Quentin was taken, held against counterattack, and the Australia n forces then advanced on Pronne, which was cleared street by street and house by house. This book gives a detailed account of the planning and execution of the battle, the sometimes horrific human experience of the battle, and the courage that led to eight members of the First AIF being awarded the Victoria Cross. ...Show more

Rails Across Australia: A Journey Through the Continent by David Cable

$75.00 AUD

Category: Military

Rails Across Australia is an album of photographs taken by David Cable, a well-regarded British author of several albums of train pictures throughout the world. The photos were taken initially during the period between 1967 and 1973 when David lived in Adelaide, and then during several visits around the Commonwealth during the twenty-first century. The photos cover a wide variety of trains in the mainland states, from Queensland to the Pilbara region of Western Australia, and include pictures showing trains in the landscapes, as well as close-up photos of locomotives for the modelling enthusiasts. The well-known problems of different gauges originally established in the various states are illustrated by the individual classes designed for them, in addition to the newest designs for the standard gauge tracks now linking them. ...Show more

Sea Monsters: Savage Submarine Commanders of World War Two by Tony Matthews

$29.99 AUD

Category: Military

The true story of a deeply murderous intent that lurked menacingly beneath the waves during World War Two. The torpedoes strike explosively and nine thousand people die &mdash; five thousand of them are just defenceless children. Another ship founders after being attacked by a brutal submarine comma nder and the ship&rsquo;s crew and passengers are used in a murderous kind of blood-sport. Merchant seamen are savagely machine-gunned in the water, callously slaughtered with hand-grenades or simply left to the circling sharks. And hundreds of doctors, nurses, ship&rsquo;s crew, ambulance drivers and hospital orderlies are viciously killed without compassion, despite being protected by the Geneva Convention. From the heart-rending account of the sinking of the German liner Wilhelm Gustloff in 1945 &mdash; the worst maritime disaster in world history &mdash; through to a variety of other brutal actions carried out by numerous submarine commanders, including the sinking of the hospital ship Centaur in 1943, this book comes from the deep shadows of a tragic past. It reveals the terrible truth of a secretive war that was responsible for the deaths of unimaginable numbers of innocent people. Sea Monsters includes powerful and poignant interviews with survivors &mdash; never before published. ...Show more

Tobruk: Firecely Stand or Fighting Fall by David Mitchelhill-Green

$29.99 AUD

Category: Military

Tobruk was one of the greatest Allied victories - and one of the worst Allied defeats - of the Second World War. The eight-month long 1941 siege - a defiant stand by the so-called &lsquo;Rats of Tobruk&rsquo; - captured the world&rsquo;s attention. Conversely, the fall of Tobruk in June 1942 came a shock to the Allies in the wake of Japan&rsquo;s entry into the war and a string of defeats in the Far East. It rocked the foundation of Winston Churchill&rsquo;s premiership, revived the flagging hopes of the German people and fanned the flames of Arab unrest. It furthered Rommel&rsquo;s ascendency and marked a turning point in Anglo-American relations and the fight against Nazi Germany. Tobruk: Fiercely Stand, or Fighting Fall presents a new perspective - asking why the remote fortress successfully fought off repeated attacks in 1941, before tragically falling to Rommel&rsquo;s Axis forces in just 24 hours in mid-1942. It begins with Italy&rsquo;s invasion of Ottoman-held North Africa in 1911, before introducing key individuals - Rommel, Mussolini and Morshead - to examine how their WWI service shaped later events. From Mussolini&rsquo;s ill-fated invasion of Egypt in September 1940, the book explores the capture of Tobruk in January 1941 by the Australian 6th Division, the ensuing siege of its sister 9th Division, and the fortress&rsquo; disastrous capitulation. ...Show more

From the Ground Up - Stories from the Men and Women Who Built, Serviced and Flew Aircraft in WWII by Edward Smithies

$22.99 AUD

Category: Military | Series: W&N Military Ser.

'Fascinating ... this collection illuminates corners of the wartime world ... it provides a valuable and often entertaining window' GUARDIAN 'The horrors have not been suppressed. Everyone who speaks was very young then. You sense their wonder that they did the things they recall' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY When we remember the Second World War in the air, we think of fighter pilots and bomber crews. But what was it like for the men and women working as ground crew and in the aircraft factories who also played a crucial role in defeating Hitler? What was it like making history? What sense did these individuals have of what they were doing, either at the time or later? Did they feel they were caught up in the tide of great events? Or were they simply doing their demanding and often dangerous duty? Originally published as ACES, ERKS AND BACKROOM BOYS ...Show more

Horrie the War Dog by Roland Perry

$27.99 AUD

Category: Military

In the harsh Libyan desert in the middle of the second world war, Private Jim Moody, a signaller with the First Australian Machine Gun Battalion, found a starving puppy on a sand dune. Moody called the dog Horrie. Much more than a mascot, Horrie's exceptional hearing picked up the whine of enemy aircraf t two minutes before his human counterparts and repeatedly saved the lives of the thousand-strong contingent.When the war was finished and Horrie smuggled back home, quarantine officers pounced and demanded that the dog be put down, prompting a huge public outcry. Was Horrie, the gunner's hero, condemned to die or could Moody devise a scheme to save him?In the finest ANZAC tradition, Horrie the War Dog is a story of intrigue and illusion, and of sacrifice, courage and loyalty. ...Show more

From Controversy to Cutting Edge: A history of the F-111 in Australian Service (HB) by Mark Lax

$39.99 AUD

Category: Military

The F-111 is unique among the aircraft that the Royal Australian Air Force has operated throughout its history. Never before has one type had such a profound impact not only on the RAAF, but upon Australia&rsquo;s strategic policy outlook. From the moment it was ordered, however, the F-111 would be shrouded in controversy. Cost blow-outs, delivery delays, technical problems and an undeserved poor reputation meant that the aircraft&rsquo;s place in the frontline of Australia&rsquo;s defence would be continually challenged. Despite the barbs, the aircraft survived to fly in Australia for nearly 40 years&mdash;a clear testimony to the skill and dedication of the men and women who flew, maintained and supplied it. As this amazing aircraft has now departed from service, its story can finally be told with full access to the range of official records regarding its acquisition and operation. The politics spanning fifty years of air force history, the controversies, and that media drama, have all been faithfully and unflinchingly described. Loved by the public, decried by armchair strategists, the F-111 has at last found its place in Australia&rsquo;s rich military history. ...Show more

Wolf's Lair: Inside Hitler's East Prussian HQ by IAN BAXTER

$32.99 AUD

Category: Military

An insight into the inner workings of Hitler's secret headquarters. The Wolf's Lair was the most important German command post building during the Second World War. Orders sent from these secret headquarters would play a massive part in the outcome of the War. Ian Baxter looks in to the inner workings o f Hitler's headquarters, highlighting the decisions that were made and analysing how they came about. Baxter not only utilises published works, unpublished records, military documents and archives on the subject, but also digs deep into the contemporary writings of Hitler's closest personal staff, seeking to disentangle the truth through letters written by wives, friends, adjutants, private secretaries, physicians, and of course his military staff. Baxter extensively examines life within the Fuhrerhauptquartiere, where from behind closed doors, inside the claustrophobic atmosphere of the bunkers Hitler planned and gossiped with his associates. However, as defeat loomed, Hitler surrounded himself not with his intimate circle of friends, but what he considered were illiterate soldiers. Baxter shows how Hitler's contempt for his war staff grew. It describes, during the onset of the traumatic German military reverses in Russia, how Hitler stood unbowed in the face of the enemy, and how he tried to infuse determination into his generals and friends, despite his rapid deterioration in health. ...Show more

Silent Landscape at Gallipoli - The Battlefields of the Dardanelles, One Hundred Years On by Simon Doughty; James Kerr (Photographer)

$39.99 AUD

Category: Military

In our first book, we explored the impact of the fighting on the landscape of the Western Front - showing how the physical effects of war have left indelible traces; in this book, we follow the same theme, but from a different perspective. The Gallipoli campaign was planned in early 1915 - an imaginativ e, but flawed attempt to overcome the stalemate in France and Flanders. The idea was Churchill's: to force the narrow straits of the Dardanelles by naval power alone - a romantic notion for a generation schooled in the great myths of the Ancient World and the omnipotent power of the British Empire. Rupert Brooke was one of them: 'It's too wonderful for belief. I had not imagined Fate could be so kind. Will Hero's Tower crumble under the 15-inch guns? .... Shall I loot mosaics from St Sophia, and Turkish Delight and carpets? Should we be a Turning Point in History? Oh God I've never been quite so happy in my life I think. I suddenly realise that the ambition of my life has been ... to go on a military expedition to Constantinople'.   The reality was different: the navy failed to get through the straits. The only option was to land troops on the Gallipoli Peninsula to destroy the Turkish guns, but even then it was thought that all of this could be achieved without much effort. Gallipoli was seen as a sideshow, where the benefits of victory were never matched by the resources needed. The British underestimated their enemy - assuming that old naval ships, inexperienced troops and senior commanders from an era of colonial warfare was all that was needed; they were wrong.   Rupert Brooke died on 23 April 1915 - two days before the landings - and the campaign was to last for eight months to great cost and no effect. The Turkish defense was stalwart and competent, and fighting was at close quarters in appalling conditions across deep ravines, on ridges and on plateaus. The objectives - the high ground a few miles inland - were never reached by the attackers, who remained trapped in an alien and narrow 'no man's land' thousands of miles from home. The romanticism of this place evaporated in the face of disease, a lack of food and water and in death.   Gallipoli was abandoned by the British in early 1916. Given the nature of the fighting, it might be assumed, following such a short campaign, the evidence of war has long since disappeared, but it has not: the natural features over which the fighting took place remain, as do the shadows of trenches; the skeletal-like hulls of landing craft on the shoreline; and the wrecks of more than 200 ships on the seabed beyond. There is a discernible presence here; the landscape has absorbed the events that took place here a century ago.   Gallipoli lies at the gates to the East and just a few miles north of the ancient City of Troy. For just a short time in early 1915, it seemed that this place held the key to an imagined world beyond; it did not, and the only true victors were the Turks. For the British, it was a dreadful defeat with no consolation, while for the Australians and New Zealanders, it was a defining moment in their journey to national identity. Today, the battlefield is almost untouched by time - a lonely and haunted place... remote under an idyllic Aegean sky. ...Show more