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Prisoners Of War by Hank Nelson - 1985
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The Digger Of Kokoda by Daniel Lane - 2022
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The Scrap Iron Flotilla by Mike Carlton - 2022
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The Battle Of The Generals by Roland Perry - 2024
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Digger: Legend Of The Australian Soldier by John Laffin - 1986
"This collection of five books explores the courage, hardship, and enduring legacy of Australian soldiers during the Second World War, presenting a broad picture of the ANZAC experience across several theatres of conflict. Through biography, campaign history, and personal testimony, these works examine the realities faced by Australian servicemen—from the brutal conditions of Japanese prisoner-of-war camps to the desperate fighting along the Kokoda Track and the naval battles of the Mediterranean. The collection includes Prisoners of War: Australians Under Nippon by Hank Nelson (1985), The Digger of Kokoda by Daniel Lane (2022), The Scrap Iron Flotilla by Mike Carlton (2022), The Battle of the Generals by Roland Perry (2024), and Digger: The Legend of the Australian Soldier by John Laffin (1986).
Each volume highlights a different aspect of Australia's wartime story. Hank Nelson's Prisoners of War examines the experiences of Australian soldiers captured by Japanese forces and held across Southeast Asia in some of the harshest conditions endured during the war. Daniel Lane's The Digger of Kokoda tells the remarkable life story of Reg Chard, one of the soldiers who fought in the brutal jungle campaign along the Kokoda Track that helped halt the Japanese advance toward Australia. Mike Carlton's The Scrap Iron Flotilla recounts the exploits of a small group of ageing Royal Australian Navy destroyers whose crews fought with distinction in the Mediterranean despite the limitations of their ships.
The collection is rounded out by works that explore leadership and the broader meaning of the ANZAC tradition. Roland Perry's The Battle of the Generals examines the often tense relationship between General Douglas MacArthur and Australian commander Thomas Blamey during the defence of Australia in the Pacific War, while John Laffin's Digger traces the origins and evolution of the Australian soldier's reputation for resilience, independence, and camaraderie. Together these volumes provide a compelling portrait of Australia's wartime experience and would appeal to readers of Australian military history, students of the ANZAC tradition, and collectors of World War II history."
