other ranker Posted 30 October , 2021 Share Posted 30 October , 2021 I have been collecting these books for several years now. They are usually really well written and considered classics down under. Many of the best have been gathered in the 'Gallant Legion' series. See the picture for the titles. Do you have any favourites? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 30 October , 2021 Share Posted 30 October , 2021 That's a fine set of books . I've not read many Aussie accounts but my favourite isn't one of those above , it's Mitchell's 'Backs to the Wall '. I thought that 'The Gallant Company' was very good but couldn't get far with 'The Silent Division' as it felt more like a unit history than a memoir . I must get around to reading 'Jacka's Mob' , 'Hell's Bells' and 'Iron in the fire' sometime but at the moment i'm concentrating on the air war , so will probably be reading 'Aces and Kings' soon . I had a blitz on reading my escaping books but they were all Western Front so didn't read 'Guests of the Unspeakable ' The P.O.W books of that campaign are another group of books i must read someday , i did read '450 miles to freedom' and thought it was brilliant . I suppose it's a case of so many books and so little time to read them . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 31 October , 2021 Share Posted 31 October , 2021 National Library of Australia catalogue entry which gives some details of the books above, which mainly appear to have been published in the early-mid 1930s https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Search/Home?lookfor="Gallant+Legion"&type=all&limit[]=&submit=Find Monash's book is available online: The Australian Victories in France in 1918 by Lieutenant-General Sir John Monash [1920] Archive.org. Images and maps from the book (different digital file) Archive.org. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 31 October , 2021 Share Posted 31 October , 2021 A rather nice set - are they yours? I find I’ve got 6 of them in various editions and I’ve only read 3. Of those I probably liked Idriess ‘Desert Column’ best but it’s been so long since I read it I can’t recall much about it. It’s certainly the hardest and most expensive to find of all the Aussie memoirs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other ranker Posted 31 October , 2021 Author Share Posted 31 October , 2021 I have all but two in the Gallant Legion issues, but have them all in one form or another from the 1930's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 31 October , 2021 Share Posted 31 October , 2021 1 hour ago, other ranker said: I have all but two in the Gallant Legion issues, but have them all in one form or another from the 1930's What's your favourite (s) ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other ranker Posted 31 October , 2021 Author Share Posted 31 October , 2021 'Hells Bells' is good, but my favourite is,' The Gallant Company'. I am currently reading the follow up to it, 'Comrades Of The Great Adventure' see the scan attached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17107BM Posted 31 October , 2021 Share Posted 31 October , 2021 This is my favourite. Manely because GF gets a mention on page 183 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 2 November , 2021 Share Posted 2 November , 2021 Thinking about it a bit more, my favourite Australian account isn’t part of the ‘Gallant Company’ series. It’s this unit history by Eric Wren. Published by Ronald Macdonald in 1935. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other ranker Posted 2 November , 2021 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2021 4 hours ago, Dust Jacket Collector said: Thinking about it a bit more, my favourite Australian account isn’t part of the ‘Gallant Company’ series. It’s this unit history by Eric Wren. Published by Ronald Macdonald in 1935. Does this read as a straight history? I have not seen it before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 2 November , 2021 Share Posted 2 November , 2021 1 hour ago, other ranker said: Does this read as a straight history? I have not seen it before. It’s a fairly standard battalion history drawing on numerous individual accounts but it’s much better written than many similar histories. There are a few, fairly expensive copies on ABE, but apparently this jacket is rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frev Posted 3 November , 2021 Share Posted 3 November , 2021 This reminded me of a very old 'thread' that may be of interest: Cheers, Frev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other ranker Posted 4 November , 2021 Author Share Posted 4 November , 2021 On 03/11/2021 at 04:38, frev said: This reminded me of a very old 'thread' that may be of interest: Cheers, Frev Frev, thanks for the heads up. Better start looking for some of those! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crunchy Posted 6 November , 2021 Share Posted 6 November , 2021 On 01/11/2021 at 04:54, 17107BM said: This is my favourite. Manely because GF gets a mention on page 183 This is one of the best AIF battalion histories written. Not the usual laudatory account, but a fine analysis of the battalion and its actions. Has a good analysis of the 47th's action at the Battle of Dernancourt, and challenges some of Bean's Official History account. Highly recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17107BM Posted 6 November , 2021 Share Posted 6 November , 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17107BM Posted 6 November , 2021 Share Posted 6 November , 2021 Hello Crunchy. I was lucky enough to meet, at the 2017 Battle of Messines Commemorations. The Grandson of Captain Millar, My Grandfather, being Sgt Keenan 2668. All this quite by chance. He invited myself and other pals on that trip to a get together in London. At his place, just off Hyde Park. Amazing chance meeting. Cheers, Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17107BM Posted 6 November , 2021 Share Posted 6 November , 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17107BM Posted 6 November , 2021 Share Posted 6 November , 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17107BM Posted 6 November , 2021 Share Posted 6 November , 2021 oops. Seems you have my Grandfather three times. Sorry. Big thanks to frev for the help on this some time back. Not forgotten! Cheers all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17107BM Posted 6 November , 2021 Share Posted 6 November , 2021 Just to add, last we were at Dernancourt, the locals were still welcoming and very grateful for the Australians that were there for there village in 1918. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other ranker Posted 12 July , 2023 Author Share Posted 12 July , 2023 It's taken me several years to complete the series the Gallant Legion without spending fortunes. The last two came this week. I have most of them without jackets outside of the series. I think only DJC will get them jacketed in my life time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 13 July , 2023 Share Posted 13 July , 2023 A superb set. I don’t think they came with jackets. I’ve certainly never seen one. Your picture only shows 10 of the 12. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 13 July , 2023 Share Posted 13 July , 2023 Here’s my set of the originals missing a couple of jackets & the Monash is the U.K. edition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other ranker Posted 13 July , 2023 Author Share Posted 13 July , 2023 They will take some finding. Here is the picture corrected for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 13 July , 2023 Share Posted 13 July , 2023 1 hour ago, other ranker said: They will take some finding. Here is the picture corrected for you. That’s better. I might pinch that image for the website if I may. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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