Index, bibliography, notes, ill, p.340.non-fictionIn March 1918, with the fear of a one-million-man American army landing in France, the Germans attacked. In response, Australian soldiers were involved in a number of engagements, culminating in the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux and the saving of Amiens, and Paris, from German occupation. Then came General John Monash's first victory as the Commanding Officer of the newly formed Australian Corps at Hamel. This victory, and the tactics it tested, became crucial to the Allied victory after 8 August, the 'black day of the German Army'. On this day the major Allied counteroffensive began, with the AIF in the vanguard of the attack. The Australians, with the Canadians to the south and the British across the Somme to the north, drove the Germans back, first along the line of the Somme and then across the river to Mont St Quentin, Péronne and on to the formidable Hindenburg Line, before the last Australian infantry action at Montbrehain in early October. Fast-paced and tense, the story of The Last 100 Days is animated by the voices of Australian soldiers as they endured the war's closing stages with humour and stoicism; and as they fought a series of battles in which they played a pivotal role in securing Allied victory. Collapse summary world war 1914- 1918 - campaigns - western front, western front - australian participation - 1918

Index, bibliography, notes, ill (maps), p.816.In the Trenches of Hell On 19 July 1916, 7000 Australian soldiers - in the first major action of the AIF on the Western Front - attacked entrenched German positions at Fromelles in northern France. By the next day, there were over 5500 casualties, including nearly 2000 dead - a bloodbath that the Australian War Memorial describes as 'the worst 24 hours in Australia's entire history. Just days later, three Australian Divisions attacked German positions at nearby Pozi�res, and over the next six weeks they suffered another 23,000 casualties. Of that bitter battle, the great Australian war correspondent Charles Bean would write, 'The field of Pozi�res is more consecrated by Australian fighting and more hallowed by Australian blood than any field which has ever existed . . .' Yet the sad truth is that, nearly a century on from those battles, Australians know only a fraction of what occurred. This book brings the battles back to life and puts the reader in the moment, illustrating both the heroism displayed and the insanity of the British plan. With his extraordinary vigour and commitment to research, Peter FitzSimons shows why this is a story about which all Australians can be proud. And angry.world war 1914-1918 - campaigns - western front, world war 1914-1918 - australian participation - fromelles and pozieres

Index, bibliography, notes, ill (maps), p.565.non-fictionPasschendaele epitomises everything that was most terrible about the Western Front. The photographs never sleep of this four-month battle, fought from July to November 1917, the worst year of the war- blackened tree stumps rising out of a field of mud, corpses of men and horses drowned in shell holes, terrified soldiers huddled in trenches awaiting the whistle. The intervening century, the most violent in human history, has not disarmed these pictures of their power to shock. At the very least they ask us, on the 100th anniversary of the battle, to see and to try to understand what happened here. Yes, we commemorate the event. Yes, we adorn our breasts with poppies. But have we seen? Have we understood? Have we dared to reason why? What happened at Passchendaele was the expression of the 'wearing-down war', the war of pure attrition at its most spectacular and ferocious. Paul Ham's Passchendaele- Requiem for Doomed Youth shows how ordinary men on both sides endured this constant state of siege, with a very real awareness that they were being gradually, deliberately, wiped out. Yet the men never broke- they went over the top, when ordered, again and again and again. And if they fell dead or wounded, they were casualties in the 'normal wastage', as the commanders described them, of attritional war. Only the soldier's friends at the front knew him as a man, with thoughts and feelings. His family back home knew him as a son, husband or brother, before he had enlisted. By the end of 1917 he was a different creature- his experiences on the Western Front were simply beyond their powers of comprehension. The book tells the story of ordinary men in the grip of a political and military power struggle that determined their fate and has foreshadowed the destiny of the world for a century. Passchendaele lays down a powerful challenge to the idea of war as an inevitable expression of the human will, and examines the culpability of governments and military commanders in a catastrophe that destroyed the best part of a generation. Collapse summary world war 1914-1918 - campaigns - western front, france - campaigns - passchaendaele

Index, bibliography, notes, ill, maps, p.592.non-fictionEven Stalin was awed by D-Day. 'In the whole history of war, ' he wrote to Churchill, 'there has never been such an undertaking.' Those who took part in the great cross-Channel invasion, whether soldier, sailor or airman, would never forget the sight. It was by far the largest invasion fleet ever known.world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - france, operation overlord

Index, bibliography, ill, maps, p.396.non-fictionThe Victors is a breathtaking new work from bestselling historian Stephen E. Ambrose. It follows the momentous events of the war from D-Day, 6 June 1944, through to the final days when the Allied soldiers pushed the German troops out of France, chased them across Germany, and, on 7 May 1945, destroyed the Nazi regime. -- back cover. world war 1939=1945 - campaigns - europe, world war 1939-1945 - us involvement

Index, bibliography, notes, ill, maps, p.528.non-fictionhis sequel to D-DAY opens at 00:01 hours, June 7, 1944 on the Normandy Beaches and ends at 02:45 hours, May 7, 1945. In between comes the battles in the hedgerows of Normandy, the breakout of Saint-Lo, the Falaise gap, Patton tearing through France, the liberation of Paris, the attempt to leap the Rhine in operation Market-Garden, the near-miraculous German recovery, the battles around Metz and in the Huertgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, the capture of the bridge at Remagen and, finally, the overunning of Germany. From the enlisted men and junior officers, Ambrose draws on hundreds of interviews and oral histories from those on both sides of the war. The experience of these citizen soldiers reveals the ordinary sufferings and hardships of war. They overcame their fear and inexperience, the mistakes of their high command and their enemy to win the war. operation overlord, world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - europe

index, bib, ill (plates), maps, ports, p.863.non-fictionLes Carlyon's The Great War is the epic story of the fighting men who wove themselves into legend as part of the largest tragedy in Australian history - 179,000 dead and wounded - leaving a nation to mourn its fallen heroes in 'one long national funeral' into the 1930s and, now again, a century later. As he did with the best-seller Gallipoli, Carlyon leads the reader behind the lines, across the western front and other theatres of battle, and deep into the minds of the men who are witnesses to war. Having walked the fields of France, Belgium and Turkey on his quest for a truth beyond the myth, Carlyon weaves us a mesmerising narrative that shifts seamlessly from the hatching of grand strategies in the political salons of London and St Petersburg to the muddy, bloody trenches of Pozieres and Passchendaele where ordinary soldiers descended into a maelstrom unimaginable. australian army - history, world war 1914-1918 - campaigns - western front

index, ill, maps, p.224.non-fictionThe Western Front in World War I was the scene of devastating trench warfare and astonishing human loss: nearly 750,000 soldiers perished in the battles fought in France and Belgium from 1914 to 1918. In The Western Front, renowned historian Richard Holmes traces the path those soldiers took, and presents the political, military, and human dilemmas of a bitter and bloody war.world war 1914-1918 - western front - history, world war 1914-1918 - military history

Index, ill, p.216.tTe WWI diaries of Sgt. Thomas Arthur Dykes DCM - 23rd Battalion, AIFworld war 1914-1918 - campaigns - france, world war 1914-1918 - personal correspondence

Ill, p.159.non-fictionThe soldiers experience of trench fighting in the First World war and their techniques for survivalworld war 1914-1918 - campaigns - france, world war 1914-1918 - military history

p.192.fictionA full-cast dramatisation of one of the greatest war novels of all time. First published as a novel in 1929, it tells the story of a group of young German soldiers who are enduring, and then coming to terms with, the realities of the First World War. At the age of 19, following the outbreak of the First World War, Paul Bäumer enlists in the German Army. He is deployed to the Western Front, where the experience of life and death in the trenches has an enormous effect on him. He begins to feel disconnected from his past life: his family, his love of poetry, and his feelings. As the war progresses, Paul becomes increasingly lost in battle. world war 1914-1918 - fiction, world war 1914-1918 - campaigns - france

Postcard, WW1, B&W image of the back of a 15 inch German gun captured by Australians near Cappy.Tangled machinery with an Officer standing at right and a soldier sitting on top of ruined section at top left. Defoliated trees in background. Copy A26postcard, postcard, german 15" gun, cappy, australians, france, ww1

Postcard, WW1, B&W image of the remains of a 15 inch German gun captyerd by Australians near Cappy. Soldier standing on top of remains at top left. Copy G49postcard, postcard, ww1, 15 inch german gun, cappy, france

Index, ill, p.292.non-fictionIn war, great commanders lead soldiers into hell to do the impossible. They were called Easy Company--but their mission was never easy. Immortalized as the Band of Brothers, they suffered 150 percent casualties while liberating Europe, an unparalleled record of bravery under fire. Dick Winters was their commander, "the best combat leader in World War II" to his men. This is his story, told in his own words for the first time. On D-Day, Dick Winters parachuted into France and assumed leadership of the Band of Brothers when their commander was killed. He led them through the Battle of the Bulge, the attack on Foy--where Easy Company reached its breaking point--and into Germany, by which time each member had been wounded. Neither a protest against war nor a glamorization of combat, this is a moving tribute to the human spirit by a man who earned the love and respect of the men of Easy Company and the adulation of new generations worldwide. world war 1939 – 1945 – personal narratives – united states, united states army - history

Ill, p.380.non-fictionBased on his diaries, this is a frank account of how Mason came first in French Foreign Legion basic training, trained other Legionnaires, went to Africa, did sniper, commando and medic's training and took part in two operations, both in the Republic of Djibouti, where a civil war nearly crippled the nation. It tells of his daily life in the Legion, in the training regiment, in Africa and with the Legion's Parachute Regiment. But more than this, David's gripping account reveals his disillusionment, frustration and disappointments, and how the Legion today is not what it seems.soldiers - australia - biography, france - military history

The photographer, Ann Gervasoni, was in Frommelles for the reburial ceremony for 5 previously unidentified Australian soldiers. "AFTER almost 94 years, Ballarat soldier Private Frederick Rawlings, and a long-standing family mystery, can finally be laid to rest. Private Rawlings was one of 5533 Australian soldiers killed in the bloodiest conflict in Australian history, the World War I Battle of Fromelles, France. He was one of 250 men buried in a mass grave at Pheasant Wood after the battle of July 19 and 20 in 1916. In the past two years, a joint Australian and British project has aimed to positively identify the remains of those soldiers buried at the site. This week, the Federal Government announced Private Rawlings was one of 75 men who had been identified by name. Also on the list were Corporal Leslie Hart, born in Clunes, and Lance Corporal Allan Bennett, born in Ballarat, both of whom joined the army in Western Australia. All but one of the 75 soldiers have now been re-buried, with full military honours, at a specially constructed cemetery near the battle site. Private Rawlings' grand-niece, Maureen Holding, of Mannibadar, got a call to confirm the news on Tuesday night. 'It's just quite incredible after all these years and huge loss of life, they've actually identified him,' Mrs Holding said yesterday. Last year, Mrs Holding and her brother, Leo Rawlings, gave DNA samples to the Australian Army to help with the identification process. But until seeing a newspaper article more than 20 years ago, they did not know Private Rawlings or his younger brother, Corporal Sydney Rawlings, had even been in the war. On Anzac Day 1988, The Courier published a photo of Cpl Sydney Rawlings and excerpts from a letter from an army chaplain that informed Ballarat family members of Cpl Rawlings' death in Northern France in 1918. 'About two years later, my husband, Malcolm, found in a tin of rusty nails and shoe buckles belonging to my late dad, a set of war medals,' Mrs Holding said. They were inscribed with Sydney's Rawlings' name, and checks of family records and The Courier story confirmed the connection. In 1991, this newspaper published a list of soldiers who had memorial trees in Ballarat's Avenue of Honour. Next to Sydney's name was that of Frederick Rawlings.(http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/543125/remains-of-ballarat-soldier-killed-in-france-during-wwi-identified/, accessed 16/04/2014.)A number of colour digital images showing the grave of Frederick Rawlings of Ballarat in the Pheasant Wood Cemetery, Frommelles, France.world war one, fromelles, pheasant wood, frederick rawlings, allan bennett, leslie hart

Archibald James Bower enlisted in World War I in November 1915, and was killed in action in France in August 1916. Before he left Australia, he drew designs on linen for his mother, Harriet Bower nee Harper, to embroider a quilt - mainly flowers, butterflies and moths. Mrs Bower finished the quilt, which was then used for many years by her grandson, Archibald William Luxford. He went to sleep every night, knowing the designs were drawn by the uncle he had never known, after whom he had been named.This quilt has historic significance as a memorial to a soldier lost in World War I. It is important as a tangible reminder of loss in war, and an example of how memorials to those lost in war take many forms. It has aestetic significance as an example of needlework that is original in design, with an impressive range of different stitches used to execute the design. It has spiritual significance to the Luxford family and the Munro community (even though Archie Bower was from Sale and the quilt moved later to Munro), as the quilt that Arch Luxford, a prominent member of the community, often spoke about as one his most important possessions. He was born after the death of his uncle, and named in memory of him. He grew up sleeping under the quilt, and knowing the story of his loss in World War I.A bedspread made principally of three sections of white linen sewn together with panels of crochet, with a deep linen edging and crochet edging. There are moths, butterflies and flowers embroidered on all sections in white cotton, as a form of candlewicking.world war 1914-1918, craft, needlework

Object. Bronze medal issued by the Victorian Education Department and sold on behalf of the British Red Cross Society. With suspension piece at crest with suspension ring. Obverse: ''HONOR TO THE AIF''. Bust of Australian Soldier in a Slouch hat. Reverse: Around edge, ''EVO ANZAC DAY 1918''. In Centre: Spray of Wattle with porter. ''GALLIPOLI FRANCE PALESTINE''.numismatics, medals - military, anzac day medal, manufacturer; stokes and son melbourne.

Across Australia, many government establishments displayed this print, acknowledging the sacrifices made in World War 1. Each state school was presented with a framed copy.This print hangs in the old school building in which it was originally presented in 1929. It is exhibited near the doorway of the Museum's room of military artefacts.Print of oil painting depicting ghosts of Australian soldiers in vicinity of Menin Gate, battlefield in France, World War 1."Menin Gate at Midnight" by Will Longstaff, 1927 Presented to Myrtleford State School 955, 1929menin gate print of painting

The "Dead Man's Penny" of Private George Matthews (24/1744) is a district link to the First World War. George enlisted with the Otago Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force as a rifleman. Born in 1891, he was a former pupil of Myrtleford State School 955 and was one of four first cousins killed in action and recorded in a memorial window and honour board at the Uniting (formerly Methodist) Church, the Soldier's Memorial Square and on the State School Honour Board. George's parents, John and Mary Matthews,received the plaque in a pack, together with a letter and commemorative scroll from King George V. George Matthews is buried at the Caterpillar Valley (N.Z.) Memorial, France, having died on October 1, 1916, aged 25. The memorial plaque links local family tragedy to world conflict. It represents the impact of such events must have had on small town communities. George Matthews' enlistment in New Zealand is an indicator of the migratory nature of men involved in gold mining after the decline of the industry in Victoria and New South Wales in the late 19th centuryA World War 1 memorial plaque issued to next-of-kin of all British and Empire service personnel who died as a result of the war. They were round and cast in bronze, hence their similarity to the much smaller penny coin. The plaque includes an image of Britannia, holding a trident and standing with a lion. Britannia holds an oak leaf above the deceased's name, which is recorded without rank. Two dolphins swim around Britannia, symbolizing sea power, and at the base a second lion is tearing apart the German eagle. Around the picture a legend reads: "He died for freedom and Honour"Name engraved: GEORGE MATTHEWSmemorial plaque dead man's penny george matthews

Private James Edward Matthews (3174) was one of four first cousins living in the Myrtleford district killed during World War 1. He was in the 60th Battalion, A.I.F. action at Fromelles, France, and was killed in action, aged 19 years, on July 19,1916. He was the son of Richard and James Matthews of Myrtleford and has no known grave, but is "Remembered with Honour" at V.C. Corner, Australian Cemetery and Memorial, Fromelles. James attended Myrtleford State School 955; his death is recorded on honour boards at the Uniting (formerly Methodist) Church, the school honour board and at the Soldier's memoral Square. A memorial window at the church includes names of the four cousins.The portrait reminds viewers of the youth of many A.I.F. volunteers, the outcome of actions such as that at Fromelles in 1916 and the impact on families in small communities. It also relates to the ongoing search for identifiable remains of those personnel without a known resting place. Framed original sepia photograph, head and shoulders, of World War 1 soldier in full dress uniform.James E. Matthews, 60th Battalion, Killed in Action, 19 July, 1916. Photography: Talma & Co., Melb.james matthews 60th battalion fromelles

Yellow Booklet issued by WHO and featuring the Symbol of said Organization and International Certificates of Vaccination wording in black print. All wording in both English and French. 3790361 TM Collie in blue pen. Issued to passport number or travel document no G 495622Nine pages detailing dates and Vaccinations plus information for soldier and Physicians in both English and French. Some stamped.booklet, who, medical

They fought on the African Veldt. They fought in the mud-choked trenches of France. they fought in the searing heat of the Western Desert and the tropocal jungles of the pacific and Vietnam...australia's soldiers.australia. army - history, australia. dept of defense - history

62 pages, typewritten, on white paper with a brown paper cover. Bound along one side by 3 brass metal fasteners.non-fictionA detailed account of Pte Price's experience of WWI from his embarkation to his return. Sections include: Description of Journey (Arrival at Albany WA; From Albany to Cape Town; Cape Town to Vincent, Verde Island; The Village Blacksmith; Four Days Holiday in London; Back at Camp; Second Visit to London); Review by King George; Zeppelin Air Raids; Embarking for France; The Idea of a Raid; St Omer; Battle of Messines; Bombardment Prior to Advance on Messines; A Visit to France by King George & Prince of Wales; Five Days March from Senlicques; First Battle of Ypres; Preparation for Second Battle of Ypres; 14 Days Leave from France to England; 14 Days Sick Leavewwi, world war i, f g price

Postcard sent by a soldier serving in Northern France in 1916 to, it is believed, Miss Olive Appleton.White coloured postcard with a silk inset on the front that has been embroidered with a basket of multi-coloured flowers and the words 'A Kiss from France'. Handwritten message in blue in on the back.North France 18/4/16 Dear Olive Got this card to let you know where I am and that I am in the best of health and spirits. Remember me to all. From Yours Sincerely Fred. xxx wwi, world war i

Depicts Australian flag and soldier. Card is from 5th Divisional Signal Coy., AIF, France.Folded buff-coloured cardboard with paper insert fastened by faded red cord. Insert signed by George Arnold. Handwritten notation on back of card: Given to St K His Society by Mrs Parker 14/3/8214th battalion aif

The 11th Australian Infantry Battalion AIF was was among the first infantry units raised for the AIF during the First World War It was first raised at Black Boy Hill Camp in Western Australia on 17 August 1914 and recruited from the militia units. The picture of the 11th Battalion at the Cheops pyramid in Egypt in 1915 was taken just before the landing at Anzac Cove. Not many of the soldiers in this picture survived the 8 month campaign. After the Campaign on the Gallipoli Peninsula, the 11th Battalion went on to serve with distinction in France and Belgium from 1916-18. They returned to Australia at the end of the war and disbanded on the 5 February 1919. The Battalion was awarded a Kings Colour for it’s service during the war which was held in the of custody the Militia 2/11th Battalion. This picture was taken just before the landing at Anzac Cove during the First World War. Not many of the soldiers in this picture survived the 8 month campaign. This now famous picture of the 11th Battalion AIF at the Cheops pyramid in Egypt in 1915 is shown throughout military history displays and books the world over.Burgundy frame, black mounting, gold writing with a photo of 11th Battalion standing and sitting on the Cheops pyramid in Egypt. There are seven rising suns underneath the photo.ANZACS at War. Fall an ANZAC Rise a legend. The 11th Battalion at the Cheops pyramid in Egypt. We will remember - Lest we forget. Limited edition 4438 of 5000.anzac, wwi, world war 1, cheops, pyramid, soldiers

Collection of personal effects that belonged to Private SIdney Spencer Plum, 3431 1st Pioneer Battalion. SIdney was born on 3/1/1894 at Dockers Plains via Wangaratta. He attended both North Wangaratta and Dockers Plains schools. He was a Blacksmith aged 21 years when he enlisted on 12/6/1915 and embarked on 11/10/1915 on board HMAT Nestor. He was wounded three times and was discharged from the AIF on 16/3/1919. Items include oval photo of Sidney Plum in the centre surrounded by four post cards, one embroidered post card of a dove with an envelope in it's beak with the Union Jack and French flag, a Greetings From The Front" booklet, "The Armour of Light" bible, "A Form of Prayer for open air services" book, Soldier's Pay Book, a "To my dear Mother" card, a black leather pouch, a rising sun badge, round gold medallion. A framed montage of personal items belonging to Private Sydney Spencer PLUM compiled by his family to honour his memory and service. In addition to general military issue the remaining items were most likely purchased whilst on leave in France and England during the first world war. Postcards particularly embroidered postcards were sent home to loved ones and friends.Framed Collection of personal effects - Private Sidney Spencer Plum, 1st Pioneer Battalion. Includes oval photo of Sidney Plum in the centre surrounded by four post cards, one embroidered post card of a dove with an envelope in it's beak with the Union Jack and French flag, a Greetings From The Front" booklet, "The Armour of Light" bible, "A Form of Prayer for open air services" book, Soldier's Pay Book, a "To my dear Mother" card, a black leather pouch, a risen sun badge, round gold coloured medalion. Frame has a donation plaque.Front: Pte Sidney Spencer Plum, 1st Pioneer Battalion. Donated by Max & Hilary (Plum) Ryan and Sylvia Reed (Plum) of Wangarattaa Back: Wangaratta Picture Framers 9 Oct 2003. Also has messages from front postcards; Dear Mother, Just a few lines to let you know that I am alright hoping that you and all the rest is well too. We have had three fogs over here and it is very cold at night. I was picked in Cairo and they had some Turkey Officers an a German spy in gaol there. I wrote to Aunt Nelline. I got two letters from Alf. Maude Saxby hasnt wrote to me since I was up there on final leave. I get the letters quicker. I got Alf photos all right. I will be having Christmas in London. Well I think this is all this. I remain you son Sid. Tell Alf to send me over the Age so I can see how the war is going. I suppose Dad and the rest is busy harvesting now. Glad to hear that you got the photos all right. I think this is all this time from Sid same address as before. Dear Mother, Just a few lines to let you know that I am keeping well hoping that you and every body is the same. We have some great fogs over here, it rained all one night. We had a very good Christmas we got a billy issued to us and it had every thing in it. The Captain of our company gave me a Christmas pudding. All the same I wished I were back in Australia again. I think this is all this time. Yours truely son Sid, 25/12/15plum, sidney, world war 1, postcards, embroidered postcard, soldier's pay book, leather pouch, bible, prayer book, sydney

Postcard from WWI soldier William West (1268) of the 29 Infantry Battalion, 5th Pioneers Battalion while posted in France was sent to his wife at home, 1917.Embroidered silk postcards were first made in 1900 for the Paris Exposition. The popularity of silk postcards peaked during the First World War 1914 - 1918.They were mostly embroidered by French women in their homes and then sent to the factories for cutting and mounting on cards. Many of the cards were illustrated with patriotic symbols, flags, slogans, or sentimental texts. During the First World War, many Allied officers and soldiers based in France sent silk embroidered postcards to their loved ones back homeWhite rectangular postcard with embroidered pink flower and green foliate decoration on front. Handwritten message on the back.Front: "From your husband" (embroidered) Back: "Write soon / Best Love / to West / do not forget to / send that / France / Jan 23/1/1917 / My Dear Alice / Just a P.C. to let you know I'm still well and hope you are all the same Best love / to all from Will xxxxxxxxxxxxx"wwi, postcard, embroidered postcard, paris depose, fabrication francaise

From the album of WWI soldier William West (1268) of the 29 Infantry Battalion, 5th Pioneers Battalion. These postcards, photographs and clippings were sent to William's family and loved ones during the years he was on active service. See also 207 and 220. 3. "Soldier's diary / The touch of a vanished hand" refers to the diary of Private Percival SHERRIFF 3405 5th Battalion born at Ballarat and was killed in action on 20/8/1916 in France. Newspaper cuttings.1."Diggers at ANZAC house reunion" 2. "Song of the Wattle Bloom" 3. "Soldier's diary / The touch of a vanished hand" 4. "A parody on 'Blighty'"album, photo album, newspaper clippings, postcard, wwi