WWI Military Specials

In commemoration of Anzac Day we have a selection of World War I titles on special. The books are 25% off and Data CDs at 50%. If you have an interesting WWI or your ancestors were in WWI be sure to check out the deals below.For more military titles click hereAlso be sure to read Alona’s blog post called 51 Links for Australian Military History and Research for great sites to help with your research.

AIF Unit Histories of the Great War 1914-1918 – R. Austin – Normally $9.00 SPECIAL $6.75 
The recent upsurge in Australia’s military history has seen the online availability of many military records on the Australian War Memorial website and also the availability of a soldier’s Personal Service Record on the National Archives site.

However, many people have difficulty in wading through military jargon and need a more readable source of what their relatives battalion or unit was doing during the Great War of 1914-1918. This is where the unit histories become a most valuable resource tool. A point-by-point check list of ‘The Ideal Unit History’ which may be useful to genealogists and others has therefore been included.

Also included are publication details of the many published histories of battalions, light horse regiments and other units of the 1st Australian Imperial Force which served with distinction in theatres such as Gallipoli, France, Belgium, Egypt and Palestine.

Digging for Diggers: A Guide to Researching an Australian Soldier of the Great War, 1914-1918 – G. Hosken – Normally $17.60 SPECIAL $13.20 
This book provides a step-by-step guide to finding, interpreting and appreciating the stories of those Australians who served in World War I. It shows the research pathways, and provides the tools for exploration and analysis, enabling even the most inexperienced teacher to take students through the essential stages of research – from interest, to engagement, to achievement.

‘Digging for Diggers’ is also an excellent resource book on all aspects of Australia’s World War I combat experience. It provides a clear explanation of many of the elements that are assumed but rarely explained in general history books – what a brigade or battalion or division is, the nature of trench warfare, the meaning of military terms and abbreviations etc.

History is about people, and about making connections with our heritage, ‘Digging for Diggers’ helps us find those people for World War I, and to understand and appreciate how their lives are part of our ANZAC heritage.’ – part of a review by Robert Lewis.

Anzac Book 1916 – DATA CD – 1 CD (197 pages) – Normally $19.50 SPECIAL $9.75 
“This book of Anzac was produced in the lines at Anzac on Gallipoli in the closing weeks of 1915. Practically every word in it was written and every line drawn beneath the shelter of a waterproof sheet or of a roof of sandbags – either in the trenches or, at most, well within the range of the oldest Turkish rifle… Between November 15th and December 8th when the time for the sending in of contributions closed, The Anzac Book was produced…” – The Anzac Book Staff, 1915

‘The Anzac Book’ contains a range of interesting information written by different members of the Army, such as: the Landing at Gallipoli, Glimpses of Anzac, Army Biscuits and the Book of Anzac Chronicles. Illustrations and photographs of different aspects and experiences of the war and the battle at Gallipoli are also included.

Anzac Memorial – DATA CD – 1 CD (659 pages) – Normally $24.50 SPECIAL $12.25 
The ‘Anzac Memorial’ is a phenomenal compilation, specifically being a memorial to those who died in the First World War. The Preface states that this book ‘is published for the benefit of the New South Wales branch of the Returned Sailor’s and Soldiers’ Imperial League of Australia, whose object is not only to safeguard the material interests of all returned men and the dependents of the fallen, but to keep alive and to perpetuate that magnificent spirit which was conceived on the outbreak of war …’

This third edition of the book was published as the ‘Peace Edition’ just after the war ended in 1919. The main part, which takes up nearly half of the book, is a listing of Officers and Men A.I.F who Died on Service. This section lists thousands of names of those who died doing their duty, listed alphabetically by surname, it also gives their Number, Name and Rank, Unit, Cause of Death and Date of Death.

Other features of the book include the diary entries of a soldier which is definitely stirring reading. The diary starts off on 6 August 1914 when the soldier was called up for service, and continues through till 4 May 1915 when he gets home to Sydney … The rest of the book consists of poems, stories and memoirs, all contributed by men who were fighting for their country, and in some cases, their lives. Included are over 150 illustrations (photographs, maps and sketches), many of which are photographs of Rolls of Honour boards which companies created as a remembrance to their employees who never made it home.

This is a great resource and a fascinating read for all war historians, and those with ancestors who fought in the Great War.

Bank of New South Wales Roll of Honour – DATA CD – 1 CD (424 pages) – Normally $22.50 SPECIAL $11.25 
As a memorial to the staff members from the Bank of New South Wales who served in World War One, the Bank decided to produce this book to honour all who participated.

It is a record of officers of the Bank of New South Wales who enlisted in the ‘British’ armies (which includes Australia and New Zealand). The bank is proud of the fact that 793 officers enlisted from every branch in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and London out of a staff of 1750 men.

This is the history of nearly 800 men who followed duty to serve their country. Arranged alphabetically by surname, each officer is listed together with a photograph, full name, rank, the battalion they were in and biographical details, as well as information on their military history.

This is a wonderful memorial to those who saw war as it really was, and whose bravery helped shape the Australia that we see today.

Australia’s Fighting Sons of the Empire: Western Australia – DATA CD – 1 CD (288 pages) – Normally $24.50 SPECIAL $12.25 
‘Australia’s Fighting Sons’ is a compilation of biographies and photos of many Australian soldiers who fought in World War One, although obviously an incomplete list, this book includes information on nearly 1500 soldiers each with significant detail of their fighting life.

Each entry includes a photograph along with the name of the soldier, where they were born and educated, where and when they enlisted, the places they fought and where and when they came back or, if they died, where they were buried. Often included are other significant details about their war activities and their family.

The book mostly includes people from Western Australia and is therefore a great record for those interested in the first world war and the people who fought in it especially from Western Australia.

Uncensored Dardanelles – DATA CD – 1 CD – Normally $22.50 SPECIAL $11.25 
‘Uncensored Dardanelles’ is a collection of memoirs written by Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett during the First World War, and published in 1928.

Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett was one of the first British War correspondents allowed to accompany an expedition to the frontline. On 1 April 1915 he was with the troops who were about to land at Gallipoli. Ashmead-Bartlett became famous for his reporting of the First World War in this area.

This book contains the full account of what Ashmead-Bartlett experienced in the Dardanelles, some of which was previously censored or remained unpublished until now. It includes chapters on the landing at Anzac and Cape Helles, the fight for Achi Baba, the Suvla Bay offensive, the last dying efforts, and ‘an uncensored letter and my dismissal’ … and much more.

A captivating personal account giving a wonderful perspective on the war in the Dardanelles.

Under Furred Hats: 6th Australian Light Horse Regiment – DATA CD – 1 CD (270 pages) – Normally $19.50 SPECIAL $9.75 
Written by George Lawrence Berrie in 1919, the book gives a brief description of the overseas service of the 6th Light Horse Regiment between December 1914 and August 1919.

The history covers the Birth and Training of the Sixth in September 1914 in New South Wales, their time at Gallipoli, the Days of Romani, Amman and Es Salt, the Jordan Valley, and the Last Lap. As well as a number of black and white illustrations there is a list of those receiving decorations and of casualties.

Decorations Awarded the Regiment
M.M.
Lieut. C. R. Capel, Sergt. D. Baird, Sergt. H. Thompson, Sergt. R. J. Foster, Tpr. W. Bassett, Sergt. W. Potter, Sergt. T.Sheridan, Sergt. S. G. McNair, Cpl. D. Smith, Sergt. McNamee, Cpl. Hindmarsh, L.-Cpl. F. Arnott, Sergt.-Major W. Kilpatrick

Whale Oil Guards: The 53rd Battalion AIF – DATA CD – 1 CD (159 pages) – Normally $16.50 SPECIAL $8.25 
Written in 1918 by John Joseph Kennedy, the padre of the 53rd Battalion of the AIF – nicknamed in January 1917, The Whale Oil Guards.

It is the story of the 53rd Battalion, the Green and Blacks, and of Major Oswald Croshaw. Kennedy describes their exploits at Alexandria, Fromelles, The Somme, Bullecourt, Ypres, Polygon Wood, Amiens and many other towns.

The Nineteenth of July, 1916! The date will be written in letters of blood in the annals of our battalion. Fromelles! In years to come those who will carry on the glorious traditions of the Green and Blacks will salute the name and be inspired by the memory of our heroes who died in that battle.

The book includes a list of those members who were awarded decorations as well as names of those mentioned for “gallant services rendered”.

A Collection of Maps from the Great War (WWI) Era – DATA CD – 1 CD – Normally $23.30SPECIAL $11.65 
This collection of 155 Great War vintage maps has been assembled to provide the Great War researcher with access to maps which can be used to better understand and follow the geographical progress of the various military movements as well as the geo-political configuration of the countries affected by the hostilities. Above all these maps are all contemporary with the Great War and so use all the place and area names which were in use then, avoiding the necessity of remembering all the changes which have occurred in the intervening period.

The collection is formed in three sections:

• 47 of the maps (despite what the title says) come from a book, Map Book of the Great War, 56 Maps and a Diary of the war. The book is undated but from the fact that the diary stops at the end of 1915 we assume it must have been published in 1916. It was clearly intended to allow people to follow the progress of the conflict while it was still in progress, and it still ably fulfills that function today
• Originally published in 1920 to act as a guide to people touring the area battlefields, the second book, titled, “Ypres and the Battles of Ypres” provides an in depth coverage of the fighting which swept back and forth over this area during such a long portion of the entire war. Apart from the 28 detailed maps, it also contains 161 contemporary and pre-war pictures allowing an appreciation of the total devastation the war wreaked on the area.
• Finally 80 maps have been extracted from other books giving the history of the war (as told from a Canadian perspective) which have been republished in the digital format by Archive CD Books Canada.

All-Australia Memorial: Victoria – DATA CD – 1 CD (583 pages) – Normally $39.50SPECIAL $19.75 
During and following the 1914-18 war a number of editions of All-Australia Memorial were published for three states – New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. As far as can be ascertained the Victorian edition was published in 1917, and New South Wales and South Australian editions in 1919 and 1920, with multiple variants for these states. To complicate things further some additional Victorian biographies and photos were included in some later editions principally publishing biographies from NSW and SA.

This Victorian edition is a wonderful record, with a detail historical outline of the war from an Australian perspective, plus an extensive reference section and hundreds of biographies. All complemented by thousands of photos, many of Victorians who served.

After the introductory pages this volume is arranged in 4 parts as follows:

PART I – EXPLOITS OF THE ANZACS (historical account)
PART II – ANZAC HONOURED DEAD
A lexicographical roll of thousands of Victorian soldiers who died on service during the period August, 1914 – December, 1916
PART III – AUSTRALIA’S FIGHTING FAMILIES
A biographical record of service and photos of hundreds of Australia’s fighting men including individual soldiers, friends on service, and families with two or more members at the front
PART IV – REGIMENTAL REGISTER
Comprising the principal Victorian units of the Australian-Imperial and Naval and Military Expeditionary Forces as officially compiled at embarkation, covering the period of the tropical, Egyptian and Gallipoli campaigns and including the 8th Infantry Brigade (French campaign). A record of approximately 30,000 Victorian men and some women.

Aussie: The Australian Soldiers’ Magazine – DATA CD – 1 CD (287 pages) – Normally $19.50 SPECIAL $9.75 
‘Aussie’ was a popular Australian soldiers magazine during and after World War 1. The magazine had its origins in 1914 under a different name and was transformed into ‘Aussie’ in 1918. This compilation covers monthly issues from No 1 in January 1918 to No. 13 in April 1919.The magazine was created for the soldiers and was largely written by the soldiers. Its object was to be “bright, cheerful and interesting, to reflect that happy spirit and good humour so strongly evident throughout the Aussie Army”

Each issue consists of approximately 16 pages. And includes many humourous and personal stories, poems, songs, tips and sketches which reflect the life of ‘the Australian soldier’ in a unique and fascinating way.

Australian War Photographs: A Pictorial Record From November 1917 to The End of the War – DATA CD – 1 CD (146 pages) – Normally $16.50 SPECIAL $8.25 
The ‘Australian War Photographs’, is a book containing spectacular photographs from the end of 1917 to the end of the Great War, and was edited by Captain Geo. H. Wilkins, M.C.

Showing over 150 graphic pictures, these illustrate many of the conditions and experiences in which the soldiers lived and fought.

  “The collection of photographs thus obtained will be absorbingly interesting to all Australians, for the places portrayed in the following pages have been made famous by the deeds and sanctified by the blood of their kinsmen.” – W.M. Hughes, 1919

Story of a Battalion: 48th Battalion of the AIF – DATA CD – 1 CD (224 pages) – Normally $19.50 SPECIAL $9.75 
Written by William Devine in 1919, this book describes the history of the 48th Battalion of the AIF from 16 March 1916 when they were raised in Egypt.

In twenty-two chapters, he covers the formation of the battalion, the march to Serapeum, training for France, their time in France – La Somme and Pozières Ridge – in Flanders, Bullecourt, Passchendaele Ridge, Meteren to the Amiens Road, the defence of Amiens, Monument Wood, the Battalion’s last engagement and the days of the Armistice. In two appendixes the dead of the battalion are listed along with those who received honours and awards.

‘From Flesselles to Franvillers, then on to Dernancourt, then to Fricourt, stopping but a night at each village, so that five days after their sports meeting at Flesselles they were again in the front line trenches at Gueudecourt. Here all the hard conditions of their first winter term in the trenches were again encountered, but encountered with even more efficiency and success. Ways and means of communicating with the front line were perhaps more difficult than before, the shortest route over which ammunition and rations had to be man-handled involving a distance of two miles …’

 

Tasmania’s War Record 1914-1918 – DATA CD – 1 CD (412 pages) – Normally $22.50SPECIAL $11.25 
The Preface to this comprehensive record of Tasmanians in the First World War states that it ‘aims at giving to the people of this generation and of generations yet to come an idea of what Tasmanian soldiers did and endured and of the less glorious but very useful work done by thousands of men and women who remained at home ….’

Family and local historians with Tasmanian interests are the “generations yet to come” who will find this an immensely useful record – not only for the names and details given, but for the historical accounts of the various units and fields of service.

Originally produced by Archive CD Books Australia in 2005, this title has now been remastered and re-released, and includes better searching capability. This CD contains high quality scanned images of the whole of the original book, and has been bookmarked for easy navigation. Pages can be searched, browsed, enlarged and printed out if required.

Queenslanders Who Fought in the Great War 1914-18 – DATA CD – 1 CD (286 pages) – Normally $27.50 SPECIAL $13.75 
A wonderful record of 2468 men and a some women involved in the Great War 1914-18, mainly those who actually served overseas. 2334 portraits are included. The biographical particulars were supplied by the relatives and personal friends of the men who proceeded on active service abroad. The photographs in every case have also been furnished either directly or indirectly by the relatives and friends.

The following information is often given:

• Record of military service,
• where and when enlisted
• training and battalions
• where and when sailed
• details of service overseas
• medals awarded
• parents, wives, and often children
• birth place and school/s attended – often in other states or countries
• occupation before enlisting
  … many other service and personal details may be given

The re-issue of this record on CD will be a marvelous resource for family, local and military historians. But it serves a further purpose – the stated hope of  the compiler that the record of these men and women “will be handed down from generation to generation as historic proof of the noble self sacrifice of the Australian fighting forces in the Great War.”