bargin
 

Found this trolling ebay tonight.
For Aussie Fleet Air Arm nuts....yes I have a copy of this already. Rare and a great price.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Wings-Acr...item336cdbde6e

Small World at Times
 

Clicked on the Wings Across the Sea The History of Australian Naval Aviation link and got a kick out of the two planes on the cover A4 and S2 both happen to be aircraft that my father worked on developing for the US Navy. Both enjoyed very long service with both the US and other Navy s around the world.

I've read the detailed history of both aircraft and one of the things that I found of interest was the modifications made to them by various other countries to make them more suitable for their operational needs.

Cheers Phil

At Corowa this year there was a book titled, Missionary turnes spy, I bought a copy and have just finished it. A good insight into the lives of the coast watch. :thup:

Nicky Barr
 

Just finished "Nicky Barr an Australian air ace" by Peter Dornan
Bloody fantastic read, a real adventure story if i can call it that.

To quote the blurb.

"In 1939, at the age of 23,Nicky Barr was chosen to represent Australia in the international rugby world tour.
The day after the squad arrived in England, war was declared and the tour was cancelled.
Nicky immediately signed up to become a fighter pilot in the RAAF and while fighting Rommel's famed Afrika Korp in North Africa, quickly rose through the ranks to become a squadron leader.

In the space of twelve months, Nicky shot down over twelve enemy planes, and was himself shot down three times.
The third time, he was seriously wounded (including a leg injury that put an end to his rugbyplaying days), then captured and sent to Italy as a hospitalised prisoner of war.
Nicky escaped four times-including once from a moving train.
On the fourth escape he successfully evaded recapture and, together with a group of special operation commandoes, took part in a series of clandestine operations behind enemy lines and helped fellow prisoners of war escape.

Nicky Barr earned a reputation amongst allies and enemies alike for his acts of bravery, selflessness, dogged determination and infectious sense of humour.
His is a story of adventure, war, courage and mortality, and the love for his wife that sustained him through it all.


Luke

I'm reading a good one at the moment; "ANZAC's Dirty Dozen: 12 Myths of Australian Military History", edited by Craig Stockings (one of the lecturers here at ADFA). It's a collection of essays debunking several strongly held myths, including the "birth" of our military history at Gallipoli, our ability to punch above our weight, our soldiers being more ethical than others and more. The book is continuing from where the Zombie Military History series left off, and is very well researched and for some, quite confronting.

I have no financial interest in the selling of this book, by the way, i've just found it an incredibly interesting and enlightening read!

museum
 

For those that are too far from the Puka tank museum in victoria.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tank-Muse...item484505e873

ford in australia
 

By Norm Darwin.
It contains a terrific chapter on WW2 production with many photos of Blitz variants.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/book-Aust...item3a7344115d

Thanks for the tip Ryan I'll have a go at it. :cheers:

Hi Toby I found that book on the bargon table outside Big W so I bought it for future reading. :cheers:

I bought the book. :cheers:

Well done. :thup:

1st AIF book
 

For another view of the 1st AIF, try reading 'Bad Characters: Sex, Crime, Mutiny, Murder and the Australian Imperial Force' by Peter Stanley.

Another excellent Stanley contribution to Australian military history, and sure is an eye-opener! Not everyone was a 'Bronzed ANZAC' by any means!

Mike C

ISBN 978-1741964806

Phenomenal read
 

Just finished "Somme Mud" by Edward Lynch. ISBN 978-1-74166-894-0

Picture a grandson going through his recently deceased grandfathers personal items to discover 20 handwritten scrapbooks filled with his grandfathers handwriting. As he starts to read he realises these notes are a first hand account from the day of his enlistment in 1916 and his experiences in the trenches right though the Somme campaign to the end of the war and well into 1919 and coming back home to Australia.

There are several moments in the book that are etched into my brain for life and I'm honestly grateful I didnt get to see them first hand.

Looks like I need to retire and take up full time reading. I have seven books ahead of me now and still the sugestions are coming in. Thank you all for contributing to this thread. :cheers::remember

aussie tanks in ww2
 

Fallen Sentinel. Bargin here. I payed $40. No connection to seller.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Fallen-Se...item3a74a1b415

vanderveen
 

The post 1945 Vanderveen Observers vehicle bible:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/observers...item2573756204

Aussie Armour history bargin
 

Somebody grab this book. ( I already have it ) It's a bargin, it's fairly rare and a terrific read. It has a buy it now on ebay. No connection.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/AUSTRALIA...item564a692a8a

more
 

There are more copies on ABE

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sear...tralian+armour

I picked up a full set of the official history of WW1 a few years ago. First edition in really good condition. I started reading them but it was taking longer to read them than te war actually lasted. Will finish them eventually but the detail was fascinating and gives a greater insight to the reality than anything else I have ever read about WW1.

Official Histories
 

Jack, I can only agree. I think the official historians who have given us the WW1, WW2, Korea and 'South East Asian wars' series have given us an incredible resource. While there are (inevitably) some errors, they are collectively an incredible piece of work. They are often my first stop when researching a particular historical aspect.

The 'post vietnam' official histories are currently being worked on by a very dedicated group of professional historians: I'm looking forward to the publications being released.

Only recently, I finally purchased the last two first editions to complete my Aust WW2 official history set (I had reprints, but that's just not the same.....).

Mike C

Mike
 

Oh, ok... I might start using abe as well as ebay. Rare my bum. Whoops.

I saw these books in Tumut on Tuesday as a boxed set for $30.00 has anyone beten me to reading them? With Christmas presents and my own purchases I now have twelve books ahead of me and wishing I could read faster.

Finished a couple
 

Took your advice Ryan.. bought and read "Fallen Sentinel".
Lent it out so I dont have the ISBN handy.

Brilliant read. Our innovation in this country and can do attitude during that desperate time makes me very proud to be an Australian.

It just makes me weep that so little of our younger people know so little about it (or for that matter older people).

Read Paul Hams "Vietnam" ISBN 978-0-7322-8237-0. Again another compelling book.
You can judge how good a job we did over there from the information and interviews given by the opposition.

The Great War
 

By Les Carlyon,

ISBN 978 1 4050 3799 0

In light of next years Corowa theme - I strongly recommend this book. It is utterly magnificent.

It is written about the Australian role in the Western Front from when they got there to when they left.

In my opinion, these men are some of the greatest, in every way, to have ever walked this earth.

Vanderveen collection
 

Found this trolling ebay, tanks and fighting vehicles Vanderveen collection, 4 books. I have these already otherwise I would be bidding. They're very good books.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4-BOOKS-T...#ht_141wt_1146

Vanderveens Books are good
 

Hi Ryan

Agree the four books shown are good ones I've got them in my collection as well. I don't think they have ever been equaled as a basic Military Vehicle Identification Reference Book.

The bottom left one is how I got into this whole thing of CMPs.

Good find for you guys in Australia.

Cheers Phil

Same here Phil...the bottom left book was one of the first books I bought on the subject of military vehicles, and 30+ years later, it still sits within arms reach of the computer. Dog eared and tattered, the bindings are starting to come apart. The commonwealth section was what got me hooked on the CMPs.

Books
 

I've been looking for another coy of that for years, have put in a bid.

A lot of the photos in the Commonwealth section come from a collection of images I purchased years ago.

For the Kiwi's among us.
 

'Too Young To Die' by Bryan Cox. ISBN 0 09 172741 3 (Paper) 0 09 172740 5 (Cased)
The story of a New Zealand fighter pilot in the Pacific War.
A very good insight into the not insignificant contribution made by NZ operated Corsairs. A contribution little known outside of their homeland.
I was particularly interested to read it due to a WW2 AIF friend of the family who was involved in fighting Japanese forces with NZ Corsairs carrying out ground attack from overhead. One of his clear memories was being showered with empty .50 Cal cases and how much they hurt. Something you don't tend to think about.

David

Bryan Cox
 

I interviewed Bryan several years ago when he came to Temora. He had some excellent stories of his flying in Corsairs.
One of my friends, Dave Salter was also there with his ex-Kiwi Harvard, it was actually one which Bryan had flown at Ardmore during his training. Bryan was still flying and Dave took him up. He let Bryan fly it and once he had his eye in, he was even doing aerobatics.