This publication is a unique and highly readable contribution to the commemoration of the centenary of the Anzacs in World War 1. Ted Egan presents an historical documentation of the Anzacs and the ordinary men, women and children of the two young nations of Australia and New Zealand, forever affected by this tragic episode in world history. Set against the political background of the day, succinctly revealed, Egan brings a clarity and immediacy to this period by his interweaving of personal stories, deeply moving songs, a collection of public and personal photos and an historical narrative that speaks directly to the reader, engaging our hearts as well as our heads. It is a story of the loss of innocence of two young nations, for a generation and beyond. Amusing anecdotes and stories of great courage and ingenuity leaven, to some extent, the brutal truth behind the personal stories.
