BOOKSHELF – Vetaffairs December 2024

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The following books, often self-published, have been written by, for and with veterans. The books, and their descriptions, are submitted by readers and DVA takes no responsibility for the accuracy of their content or the opinions expressed in them. 

If you have a book for a subsequent edition, please email vetaffairs [at] dva.gov.au. Please provide the following: title, name of author, blurb (short description that we reserve the right to edit), publisher (if any), price, how to buy it, and image of the front cover. Submitting a book does not guarantee publication.

Semut: The Untold Story of a Secret Australian Operation in WWII Borneo

By Christine Helliwell

The book covers the insertion of a small number of British, Australian and New Zealander operatives into Borneo in the final months of the Second World War. Known as Z Special Unit, they were given the difficult mission to reconnoitre to assist in the imminent landing of Allied troops, to liaise with the native Dayak population, and to harass the Japanese troops, if possible, preventing them from fleeing inland. The operation was named Semut, a Malay word meaning ‘ant’, and the group turned out to be very aggravating ants for their Japanese foes. Meticulous research has gone into the book, which concludes that without the Dayaks, the whole operation would have collapsed.

• Pages: 562
• Cost: Around $40 
• To Buy: All good bookstores

Eleven Bats – a Story of Combat, Cricket and the SAS

By Anthony ‘Harry’ Moffitt

Anthony ‘Harry’ Moffitt spent more than twenty years in the SAS. Harry’s decades of service and his multiple tours in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan made him one of the regiment’s most experienced and recognised figures. Alongside the SAS, Harry’s other lifetime love is cricket. An improvised game of cricket was often the circuit-breaker Harry and his team needed after the tension of operations.  He began a tradition of organising matches wherever he was sent. As part of the tradition, Harry also started to take a cricket bat with him on operational tours, eleven of them in total. Those bats form the basis for Harry’s extraordinary memoir. 

• Pages: 366
• Cost: $34.99
• To Buy:  Allen and Unwin and other book sellers.

Action! Action! Action! A Short History of the Employment of Australian Artillery, 1871–2021

By Nicholas Floyd and Paul Stevens

On 1 August 1871, the colony of New South Wales (NSW) raised its first permanent battery, known as the NSW Artillery. In the following years, Australian gunners have served in war and peace, abroad, and in the defence of Australia, with honour and dedication. 1 August 2021 marked a century and a half of unbroken service to the nation by Australia’s gunners – volunteer, militia, reserve, permanent and regular. The Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company has brought together this story in an easy-to-read format, with plenty of pictures and maps, recounting the way our gunners have done their job.

• Pages: 265
• Cost: $23 per copy or $300 for a box of 20 copies, both prices include postage 
• To buy: Details at the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company website 

Crawl to Freedom – Australian POW Escapes of World War One

By Darren Prickett

During the First World War, more than 4,000 Australian servicemen were taken prisoner. Yet the prisoner of war experiences of the Anzacs are frequently forgotten, treated as mere footnotes in the literature on Australian military history. Where individual stories have been told, they are often from the perspective of life as a POW. It could be assumed that the Australian POWs of the war passed quietly into captivity when the opposite was the case. Many of the Anzacs attempted escape, with more than 40 successfully making their way to England or across the battlefields to Allied lines – to ultimately score successful home-runs! 

• Pages: 392
• Cost: $32.99
• To buy: Simon and Schuster and Big Sky Publishing

Warrior, Soldier, Brigand – Institutional Abuse within the Australian Defence Force

By Ben Wadham and James Connor

This book is the first independent study of military institutional abuse from 1969 to 2011. There have been around 35 reviews and inquiries into military culture in Australia since 1969, and reporting of military misconduct continues to grow, mostly regarding bastardisation, sexual harassment, women’s participation, and the wider question of institutional abuse in churches and schools. This book is the first historical record of military institutional abuse in the ADF. It seeks to give voice to the survivors, their families, friends and those affected by this phenomenon. It is also a tribute for those that are no longer with us – many who fought the system to get the acknowledgment and support they so needed.

• Pages: 277
• Cost: $36.99. Bulk discounts for orders placed by 31 December 2024.
• To buy: email Dominika.greinert [at] unimelb.edu.au (Dominika[dot]greinert[at]unimelb[dot]edu[dot]au)

Fire At Sea – HMAS Westralia 1998

By Kathryn Spurling

On 5 May 1998, the RAN replenishment ship HMAS Westralia proceeded to sea. As the engines were brought to full power, hoses burst, flames erupted and thick, black smoke filled the engine room. The crew fought bravely to save their ship but were unable to save four of their shipmates. The human cost was lost in the battle and blame game between different government departments and private companies. The families wanted the truth and genuine compassion but their hard-fought battle for justice revealed a labyrinth of innuendo concerning fraud, nepotism, dishonesty, incompetence and official cover-up. Who was responsible? And would they be held accountable? 

• Pages: 163
• Cost: $37.95 includes Australian tracking postage
• To buy: kathrynspurling.com

Stop Screaming, I’m Scared Too – An Australian Soldier’s Story

By Rod Henderson

Stop screaming, I’m scared too is not what you’d expect to see on the back of a loadmaster’s helmet in a Chinook helicopter flying over southern Afghanistan, but for Rod Henderson it sums up his 22 years of service as a soldier in the Australian Army. This is not the story of a general or a Special Forces hero. It is the extraordinary memoir of a regular Australian soldier. Like so many others who have served their country with honour and distinction, the little-known stories of ordinary soldiers deserve to be told. In this book, Rod reveals the depth of his soldiering experiences with humour, humility, self-reflection and honesty.

• Pages: 322
• Cost: $32.99
• To buy: Amazon and all book sellers. For a personalised signed copy, visit www.rodhendersonauthor.com.au.

Changing Altitudes: Stories of Australian Air Force Women

By various contributors

In the early years of the Second World War, Australian women began lobbying to contribute to the nation’s wartime effort. From 1940, women were signing up to serve in the Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service. In 1941, an auxiliary arm of the RAAF was established, allowing women to join on a temporary basis to enhance the organisation’s ability to fight. In the decades since, Australian women have continued to contribute significantly to the operational capability of the world’s second-oldest air force. This book includes the personal stories of some of these women recounting – in their own words – their experiences while proudly wearing the uniform of the RAAF.

• Pages: 368
• Cost: $19.99
• To buy: Major bookstores, major retailers, online bookstores and as an eBook.

The Skyhawk Years – A-4 Skyhawks in Australian Service 1968-1984

By Peter Greenfield and David Prest

This very readable book, complete with photographs, examines the 16-year history and operations of the A-4G Skyhawk in the Royal Australian Navy from both the pilot and maintenance perspectives. It shows how important integral fixed wing operations are for a blue water fleet that must defend the airspace above its operations far from the support of land-based aircraft. It succeeds as testimony to a dedicated team of professionals determined to get the best from their aircraft in both its fighter and strike roles. The book captures the role of an outstanding aircraft by giving a capability beyond mere numbers when deployed on HMAS Melbourne.  

• Pages: 216
• Cost: $49.95 ($9.95 postage/handling in Australia)
• To buy: shop [at] avonmorebooks.com.au (shop[at]avonmorebooks[dot]com[dot]au)

A Source of Pride, the History of No. 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron 1936–1946

By Richard Hutchinson

No 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron was formed on 20 April 1936 after the Australian Parliament took the advice of the father of the RAAF, Air Marshal Sir Richard Willams, and 5 ‘City Squadrons’ were formed. No 22 Squadron’s first assignments of the Second World War were as a training unit covering army support and towing targets for anti-aircraft practice. The Squadron disbanded on 15 August 1946 before being reformed on 19 April 1948 and has continued to serve.

• Pages: 460 plus photographs
• Cost: $55 (soft cover) plus postage
• To buy: alanlyons [at] optusnet.com.au (alanlyons[at]optusnet[dot]com[dot]au)

Admiral VAT Smith – The extraordinary life of the father of Australia’s Fleet Air Arm

By Graeme Lunn

Admiral Sir Victor Alfred Trumper ‘VAT’ Smith AC KBE CB DSC MiD RAN is a towering figure in Australian naval circles, his extraordinary career spanning almost 50 years. As the first graduate of the Royal Australian Naval College (RANC) to be promoted to full admiral, he was the founding father of the Australian Fleet Air Arm. Remarkably, this is the first biography of ‘VAT’, which details his multi-theatre career in the Second World War. VAT Smith made a daring daylight torpedo attack on a German battlecruiser in a Swordfish biplane, was twice shot down flying Fulmar fighters and survived the sinking of HMAS Canberra in the Solomons. The author, Graeme Lunn, also a RANC graduate and aviator, began his naval career when Smith was still serving.

• Pages: 248
• Price:  $49.95
• To buy:  Avonmore Books website and various retailers

Cyclone Warriors – The Australian Defence Force and Cyclone Tracy, December 1974 – June 1975

By Dr Tom Lewis

Cyclone Tracy was one of the most damaging disasters to ever impact Australia. The story of the terrible night of Christmas Eve 1974 has been told before, but the involvement of the ADF has been under-emphasised. 

This book rectifies that by revealing the untold stories of those in uniform. Men and women of all three services experienced the cyclone, including the crew of HMAS Arrow, which sank with the loss of two lives. Subsequently, the largest ever peacetime operation by the ADF saw a massive emergency response, followed by months spent cleaning up the devastated city. Tom Lewis is one of Australia’s foremost military historians, having written over twenty books. He is a former naval officer and long-time resident of Darwin.

• Pages:  128
• Price:  $39.95
• To buy:  Avonmore Books website and various retailers

The Fire Time & Tears of the Peace

By Phan Nhat Bac

Phan Nhật Bách is a Vietnamese author who was born in South Vietnam. He worked as a military medical assistant at a Second Field Hospital Kon Tum from 1971 to 1975 and came to Australia in 1978. This book, which has been translated from Vietnamese, is written about his time during the Red Fiery Summer in 1972. 

• Cost: Free, apart from postage
• To buy: email phanhatbac [at] gmail.com (phanhatbac[at]gmail[dot]com)

Faithful Service – A Personal History of the Military Christian Fellowship of Australia

Author: Russell Bielenberg

Since its early days in 1959, the Military Christian Fellowship of Australia (MCF-A) has actively promoted Christian faith in the ADF through encouraging, supporting and developing Christians in Defence. Across Australia in barracks, bases, ships, offices, in deployed locations and now Zoom meetings, small groups meet regularly for prayer, Bible reading and to support one another in the mission of making Christ known to those around them.

This book is a comprehensive personal account which shows God's continued faithfulness to this ministry through the stories recounted. From small beginnings, lean membership periods, financial challenges and, at times, personal tensions, the ministry has grown and continues to support members to faithfully ‘Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have’.

• Pages: 182
• Price:  $45 plus $15 postage in Australia
• To buy: Via the author at rjb11 [at] me.com (rjb11[at]me[dot]com) or 0488 499 534

The Truth of War: Lethality in Combat – A Study of the Real Nature of Battle

By Tom Lewis

The issue of combat behaviour is one that puzzles many people. How should the military behave in battle? What is right and wrong? What is sensible behaviour and what is too much? The Truth of War, formerly published as Lethality in Combat, shines a light on all of this. It is written in 3 sections: Enthusiastic Warriors, Taking Prisoners, and Targeting Civilians. The author has been to war himself and wrote this study of 7 wars partly as a consequence. 

• Pages: 368
• Price:  $32.99 or $40 signed by author, via tom.lewis2619 [at] gmail.com (tom[dot]lewis2619[at]gmail[dot]com)
• To buy: Big Sky Publishing

No. 35 Transport Squadron, 1942–1946: A Historical Resource and Illustrated Commentary

By Chas Van Hulsentop

No 35 Transport Squadron was formed in March 1942 at Maylands in Western Australia and disbanded in June 1946 at Townsville in Queensland. During that time, the squadron operated throughout Australia and the South West Pacific area. The book is a unique historical record of the Second World War history of 35 Squadron RAAF and is full of source information with no ‘flowery padding’. By use of many extracts from archival documents, the author has also shown how the RAAF went about its business of managing its operational units and personnel. The book is well illustrated with many images not seen previously.

• Pages: 196
• Cost: $35 plus package and posting
• To buy: vtop [at] bigpond.com (vtop[at]bigpond[dot]com) or Wallaby Airlines 35SQN Association website

Paper, Scissors, Stone – A Korean War Novel

By Ron Callander

Paper, Scissors, Stone is a tribute to Australian soldiers who volunteered to defend South Korea when that fledgling democracy was invaded by communist North Korea in 1950. The book follows the separate but interconnected lives of Michael, Andrew and Jacob through several years until tragic circumstances finally bring them together at the 38th Parallel. It includes their recruitment, training, brotherhood, love lives, families, and battle experiences, with detail, humour and tragedy.

• Pages: 265
• Cost: $34.99 or direct from author for $26.00 
• To buy: Amazon or via the author at roncal13 [at] bigpond.com (roncal13[at]bigpond[dot]com)

War and the Soul – Healing our Nation’s Veterans from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

By Edward Tick

Veterans who suffer from PTSD have recurrent nightmares, problems with intimacy, can’t sustain jobs or relationships, and won’t leave home, imagining ‘the enemy’ is everywhere. Edward Tick is a clinical psychotherapist who has been healing war veterans for more than thirty years. In this hard-hitting and powerfully persuasive work, Tick exposes the terrible damage to the hearts, minds and souls of soldiers that comes from the exaltation of war. This book shows that healing depends on our understanding of PTSD not as a mere stress disorder, but as a disorder of identity itself. In the terror of war, the very soul can flee, sometimes for life. Tick's methods draw on compelling case studies and ancient warrior traditions worldwide to restore the soul so that the veteran can truly come home to community, family, and self.

• Pages: 345
• Cost: $35
• To Buy: Amazon

Much Given – Memoir of a Vietnam Vet, Catholic Clergyman and Grandfather

By Mark Kelly

My family’s service tradition ranges from the Boer War and the First World War – where we served and died on the Somme and at Beersheba, to the Second World War – where we served and survived Syria, New Guinea and the South West Pacific, to Vietnam – where my, relatively minor, RAN service occurred, the Persian Gulf and the Solomons – where my son served as a naval officer. 

As a Christian, I have wrestled with the issue of war. I am in awe at fair dinkum total Pacifists, but I can't go there myself. If we are prepared to defend our family, our neighbours, our town, our country, other countries in peril, then we have an obligation to defend to the best of our abilities. That is going to mean strong, well-prepared armed forces and so all of us share an obligation with our politicians to make sure our service people remain the best of the best in our search for lasting and just peace for all.

• Pages: 261
• Cost: $29.95 (paperback)
• To buy: mkelly [at] mscw.vic.edu.au

Fane Edge: The Provost Marshal

By Colin Campbell

Fane Strange Edge was appointed to the position of Provost Marshal of Norfolk Island by Governor Arthur Phillip RN on 20 March 1792. He was an enigma. This book unravels the story of his life from his birthplace and early military career in North America to life on Norfolk Island as the first Provost Marshal. It describes the clashes between the early naval and military administrations in Sydney and on Norfolk Island, including the suppression of a mutiny.

• Pages: 60 (paperback)
• Cost: $24.99
• To buy: Abbey’s Bookshop, National Library Bookshop, Fuller’s Bookshop

Action Stations – Horsham Joins the Navy

By John R Frances, OAM

This book details how more than 200 men and women from the land-locked rural city of Horsham, Victoria, decided to enlist in the Royal Australian Navy. Quite remarkably, for every battle honour ever awarded to the RAN, Horsham had at least one representative. The book details each man and woman’s service and the ships they served in during time of conflict and peace keeping. Horsham men were present when HMAS Sydney (1) sank the SMS Emden in the First World War and in the loss of HMAS Sydney (2) in the Second World War. Two men were lost in HMAS Perth (1), one in HMAS Yarra (2) and one in the mysterious loss of HMAS Matefele. The book also details Korean, Vietnam and Gulf War service, and the Indonesian Confrontation.

• Pages: 450
• Cost: $80.00 inc postage
• To buy: John Francis at jrf5248 [at] gmail.com (jrf5248[at]gmail[dot]com)

A Vintage Class – Royal Military College Duntroon 1958–61

By Sophie Church

There were 38 cadets of the Royal Military College Duntroon who graduated in December 1961. Each had endured – and mostly enjoyed – the rigorous four-year course preparing them to be officers in the Australian Regular Army or, for the seven Kiwis in the class, the New Zealand Army. A Vintage Class is a forthright and lively account of their formative experiences at Duntroon, from the misery of extra drills in Fourth Class to the honour of leading the Corps of Staff Cadets. Replete with candid, humorous and thoughtful recollections contributed by members of the class, this is an engaging story of military life in post-war Australia experienced by a select few.

• Pages: 184
• Cost: $60.00 plus postage
• To buy: www.historysmiths.com.au

Fallen Now Forgotten – The Anzacs That Are Now Just a Name on a Memorial

By Patricia Kennedy

This book tells the story of the soldiers who do not have any living descendants to remember their sacrifices during the First World War. Each Anzac Day no one wears their medals or carries a photo of them. More than a hundred years later, they are just a name on a memorial with no family to mourn them. There are soldiers who were brought up as a ward of state, soldiers who named a foster parent as next of kin, and the great number who enlisted under assumed names. The only child in a family, or the brothers who went off to war leaving their grief-stricken parents to mourn their only children. Their service records contain letters from widowed mothers or parents telling the Army their son or sons were all they had and now they are alone.

• Pages: 257 with endnotes, full index and bibliography
• Cost: $25 plus postage and handling
• To buy: wayfarer4941 [at] gmail.com (wayfarer4941[at]gmail[dot]com)