The Gunners

[David B]

Was sniffing around a second hand book shop today (where else) and came across this impressive volume which gives a history of

Australian artillery from 1788 until 1995. The book looks like it will be a first class volume on Australian gunnery history and am looking

forward to reading its 500 odd pages.

David

[Seany]

Good find. Bit cheeky to ask but does it say anything about II ANZAC heavy artillery around april 1917 that isn't already in the diaries??

Was sniffing around a second hand book shop today (where else) and came across this impressive volume which gives a history of

Australian artillery from 1788 until 1995. The book looks like it will be a first class volume on Australian gunnery history and am looking

forward to reading its 500 odd pages.

David

[David B]

Seany,

Not at all, as it is a big and heavy volume give me a day or two and I will get back to you on that one.

David

[Seany]

Many thanks

[

[Michael Molkentin]

I just read this last week actually. It is very good, but given its coverage (1788 to mid 90s) it doesn't cover any particular unit/formation/phase in any great depth. He uses some private records from the AWM but I don't think there was much on II ANZAC's heavies you wouldn't have found in the war diaries.

Definitely a top quality history- but it isn't a regimental history so you wont find much on any one particular unit.

[David B]

Michael,

Agree, as I have been finding out on reading this book whilst on hols in Tasmania. Quite well written though. It seems to concentrate

on the organizational aspects rather than just the fighting.

Cheers David

[Capt_Starlight]

Have the first edition (signed by the author of course - after all I did serve with him!)

Very good overview of artillery in Australia up to the 1980s (in my edition) and does look at the organisational and doctrinal aspects rather than the "war fighting". Like his book on the SAS, it was written for a price and a particular audience (gunners do not have a long attention span so it had to be easily read....) If you want to have a read of David at his academic best try High Command, Australia and Allied Strategy, 1939–1945 (his thesis published) or Inside the War Cabinet: Directing Australia's War Effort, 1939–1945 which neatly book end his "writing for living money" period.

[David B]

Capt Starlight,

I will note that for future reading thanks.

David