Drawn from diaries, memoirs and letters, as well as poetry, reportage and prose, this collection reminds us that the Anzac legend is rooted in real and tragic circumstances on a heartbreakingly human scale. Belying the common perception of the laconic digger, these compelling voices convey the range of wartime experience, from the desolation and horror to the unbridled excitement and camaraderie. Through it all runs the bleak toll on young lives.

Author and journalist Mark Dapin has selected writing from those on the frontlines as well as behind the scenes, from officers and soldiers to nurses, engineers and reporters, to create a volume that will be regarded as the definitive record of the personal experiences that forged the emerging national identities of Australia and New Zealand.

‘This is one of the finest collections of war writing assembled, astutely analysed and sensitively compiled.’ Weekly Times

‘Bloodlust, fury and despair ping off the pages, in poetry and prose.’ Courier-Mail

‘A fine, judicious and moving selection . . . a rich addition to the literature of Anzac.’ Weekend Australian

‘Mark Dapin’s writing in this field is second to none.’ Weekly Times Now

‘A gem of a collection.’
‘A book for those who want to feel, see and smell the war through the eyes of those who were there.’ Brisbane News