For Australia the First World War remains the most costly conflict in terms of deaths and casualties. From a population of fewer than five million, 416,809 men enlisted, of which over 60,000 were killed and 156,000 wounded, gassed, or taken prisoner.
In general terms with Australian unit histories the quality of authorship is very good, most of them share the common strength of making plentiful mention of the individual officers and men who served, fought, died, was wounded, or taken prisoner, or who came safely home at the end of it all. They are a prime source for genealogists and military historians.
FIGHTING THIRTEENTH The History of the Thirteenth Battalion A.I.F.
This Bn. was raised in September 1914 as part of Monash’s 4th Brigade. It took part in the bloody fighting at Suvla Bay and then, after a brief spell back in in Egypt, moved to the Western Front. It served in the successful Australian actions at Pozieres and Bullecourt, and later Messines and Passchendaele. The black days of the 1918 German offensive are well described, as are the final attacks against Hamel and the Hindenburg Line. Two members of the Bn were awarded the VC, Capt. H. W. Murray and Sgt. M. V. Buckley. The horrors and monotony of life in the trenches are lightened by amusing dialogue and anecdotes, and lists of awards and casualties appear at frequent intervals throughout the narrative.