The Ghost at the Wedding

Citation:  Walker, Shirley. The Ghost at the Wedding, Camberwell, Vic. : Viking, 2009.

Summary:  Northern New South Wales, the Clarence River region, 1914. In this fertile, rural environment and over the course of three generations the families of this area will be shaken by unimaginable losses. When the First World War began, four youths within the community enlisted. They were eager to do their part. Only one returned, maimed by the conflict. His name was Ted and he would become Jessie's (the author's mother in law) husband. Years later, during the Second World War, Jessie sees off her sons and younger brothers as they join the fight. This is a narrative that shifts between time periods and countries, contrasting between the peaceful nature of life at home and the chaos of the battlefield. It explores the effects that a war can have not just on those who take part but their families as well. Bolstered by amassed documentation such as letters, diaries and service records, Shirley Walker conveys her mother-in-law's perspective through a memoir format that '...convinces utterly, immerses the reader in the experience. Evocative, heartfelt.' - Lucy Sussex, Sunday Age

Time Period(s):  World War I and II.

External Links:

Goodreads page
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6559791-the-ghost-at-the-wedding

Radio interview with author Shirley Walker
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/shirley-walker-the-ghost-at-the-wedding/3126158

Girls' Own War Stories

Citation: Girls’ Own War Stories, Australia : Australian Broadcasting Corporation, c2011. (1 DVD)

Summary:  This fifty-five minute documentary focuses on the women of the Land Army as well as the Voluntary Aid Detachment. The absence of a significant proportion of fighting-aged men created openings within the home front that needed to be filled - namely in positions such as code breaking, working in a factory or searchlight operation. There was, however, still a need for women abroad as nurses. With this as a backdrop, Girl's Own War Stories relays the personal accounts of twelve women. It shows the challenges that they faced and the barriers that they had to struggle to overcome. Even the sensibilities and social mores of the time are taken into account and elaborated upon. Further enhancing the experience is the inclusion of archival materials. This work highlights a point in history that would set an important precedent, helping to pave the way for greater employment opportunities for women in Australia.

Time Period(s):  World War II

External Links:

ABC shop page
https://shop.abc.net.au/girls-own-war-stories-dvd

Sydney Morning Herald article
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/girls-own-war-stories-thursday-april-21-20110418-1dkvp.html

The Charles Family's War - A gripping story of twin brothers during World War II

Author: Alan Fewster

Citation:  Fewster, Alan. The Charles Family’s War - A gripping story of twin brothers during World War II, Newport, NSW : Big Sky Publishing, 2015.

Summary:  This particular novel centres on the Charles brothers - Edwin Llewellyn (the author's uncle) and Terence John during the Second World War. Utilising a collection of letters and family photos as a foundation, Alan Fewster tells the story of two men who, despite sharing a familial connection, are radically different people. When the war begins, Edwin is able to enlist as a pilot with the Royal Australian Air Force. However, despite fervently wishing to, Terence's role in the militia prevents him from following in his brother's footsteps. After leaving that job, he serves as a navigator aboard a bomber in the European front. The book jumps between viewpoints, highlighting not just the experiences and relationships of the brothers but also the other members of the Charles family at home (specifically their sister and mother). It includes a diverse range of locations such as Britain, India and the United States. All of this combines to form what the book refers to as "a gripping story."

Time Period(s):  World War II.

External Links:

Publisher's page
http://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/Military/The-Charles-Family-s-War/1117/productview.aspx

The Australian's article on the book
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/review/world-war-ii-letters-by-charles-family-twins-inspire-alan-fewster/news-story/5e022833c19ee67dc4e61d9829505d06

The Conscription Conflict and the Great War

 

Editors: Robin Archer, Joy Damousi, Murray Gout and Sean Scalmer

Citation: Archer, Robin (ed.), et al. The Conscription Conflict, Australia : Monash University Publishing, 2017
Monash University Publishing
Summary:  At the outbreak of the First World War, patriotic fervour was highly prevalent in Australia. Young men enthusiastically enlisted in droves out of a desire to serve their country. Others, such as conscientious objectors, refused to do so. Amidst this, the Australian government under Prime Minister William Morris Hughes made at least two attempts to pass conscription into law via referendums. Both of these attempts would end in failure. But how did this come to pass? Through nine chapters of essays (divided into four parts) that have been edited by four academics, "The Conscription Conflict and the Great War" elaborates on this. Specifically, it elaborates on how the anti-conscription movement arose in the first place, how it gradually cohered into a powerful group and how it was able to gain the momentum to succeed. It also draws comparisons with other nations where conscription was a factor. Overall, this is a book that sheds light on an aspect of Australian history that people in contemporary society may not be fully aware of.

Time Period(s): World War I

External Links:

Publisher's page
http://www.publishing.monash.edu/books/ccgw-9781925377224.html

Goodreads page
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30619301-the-conscription-conflict-and-the-great-war

On the home front : Melbourne in wartime, 1939-1945

 

Author: Kate Darian- Smith

Citation: Darian-Smith, Kate. On the home front : Melbourne in wartime, 1939-1945, Australia : Melbourne University Press, 2009.
Melbourne University Press Melbourne University Press Melbourne University Press Melbourne University Press Melbourne University Press
Summary:  Melbourne during the Second World War was a city that underwent dramatic changes. This book by Kate Darian-Smith, who is a professor of Australian studies and history at the University of Melbourne, chronicles its transformation. It was a time when the people of the city were bracing for an invasion by the Japanese and the government was preparing for that accordingly (through fortifications such as trenches for instance). It was a time that would see the formation of a Security Service, paving the way for ASIO to be established in Melbourne after the war had concluded. Moreover, it was a time when Melbournian citizens were coming to grips with evolving sensibilities, the prospect of gambling and the rowdiness that only thousands of off-duty American soldiers could bring.  This all culminates in a work that the publisher Penguin Books refers to as a "classic and evocative study of Melbourne in wartime."

Time Period(s): World War II

External Links:

Publisher's page
https://www.mup.com.au/books/9780522856835-on-the-home-front

Goodreads page
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3255011-on-the-home-front