Welcome to my home page.
On this web site you will find a selection of book chapters, travel and short stories plus some photos from my travels.
I hope you enjoy what you find here, and welcome your feedback. But what is really exciting…..
I am proud to announce that I have now printed the first FIVE books in my War Diary series!
Following the family tree of a fictitious from northern NSW family, the Andersons, the War Diary series is uniquely written in the first person as the personal diaries of the family members at war at the time. Based on real events but with the names changed, the series has been meticulously researched using the Australian War Memorial (AWM) web site, actual battalion war reports written at the time, the official AWM history series, and a collection of personal experiences from soldiers who wrote their memoirs. The Books are receiving rave reviews from a loyal band of 30 readers.
The first book written was Two Years in the Army, the diary of a young farmer, Cameron Anderson, who is conscripted in 1965 and sent to Vietnam in 1966. The story follows him pre-enlistment, through 12 months training and his time in country in Vietnam.
The second book is Freezing in the Desert, set in WW2. It is an Uncle to the main character in the Vietnam book, and sees Tom Anderson enlist at the outbreak of WW2 and travel to North Africa, Greece and Crete with the 2nd Australian Imperial Force (AIF), in the 1st Australian Infantry Battalion.
The third book in the series is titled The Deserts of North Africa. It follows the adventures of our main character Peter Anderson, brother to Tom, who is in the 2/13th Australian Infantry Battalion in WW2 , who were the first Australian unit to meet the Germans on land, the only Australian unit to go through all 8 months of the siege of Tobruk, and whom subsequently played a major role in the final defeat of the Germans at El Alamein. Then they went to new Guinea – but that is book #5 below.
The fourth book is Mud and Blood on Kokoda, written as the diary of the next brother Bill Anderson. Bill enlists in the 39th Militia Battalion who earned infamy as the first battalion to meet the Japanese on the Kokoda track, then continue on to the bloody battles of Buna and Gona on the northern coast of New Guinea, then through to the end of the war along the coast of northern New Guinea.
Book 5 is Peter part 2 – the Jungles of the Pacific Islands. It follows Peter after his return to Australia with the battalion, his marriage to Mary, and re training in North Queensland in preparation for operations in New Guinea and Borneo. It revisits some favourite characters from part 1 as Peter continues his rise through the ranks.
Check out “Book Chapters” for a teaser of each book already published!
If you are interested in purchasing a copy for $25 plus postage,
please contact me via email on the Feedback page.
E Copies are also available for $5.
Book 6 is older brother Colin, who is an aircraft mechanic in the RAAF in England during WW2. Currently being written, it interweaves stories and news of the other brothers and is the last in the WW2 series. Due for printing in September 2022.
2023 will see the release of a book on the Korean War, featuring Bill who will re enlist in 1950 to serve in 3RAR, in that mostly forgotten war, where the Australians again won acclaim and respect for their actions.
I am currently gathering books and research materials for the Grandfathers era in the WW 1 series, (3 books planned) covering Gallipoli, the Western Front and Beersheba. The WW1 series will also include one of the sisters as a Nurse serving with the AIF overseas, exploring the female perspective on war.
