New book reveals the stories and events of the first year of existence of the 60th Australian Infantry Battalion
SPRINGWOOD, Australia, Sept. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- New release "Their Names Shall Live Forever More" (published by Xlibris AU) is Trevor Jardine's contribution to Australian military history which specifically honours the men of the 60th Australian Infantry Battalion who demonstrated the qualities of resilience, determination, self-sacrifice, mateship, service to all, devotion to duty, and courage.
The first part of the book extensively details the first year of existence of the 60th Australian Infantry Battalion. It is a chronological account of this first year, interspersed with a number of soldier biographies, from the battalion's formation in Egypt in late February 1916; its involvement in the Suez Canal defence; its near annihilation during the Battle of Fromelles in July; its rebuilding over several months into an effective fighting force before another, albeit smaller, mass casualty event in late November 1916; followed by the recovery and continual rebuilding of the battalion at the end of the year. The men who died were more than just some battle statistic or some brief mention in a war diary or names that appear on headstones in a cemetery or on a memorial in a park. Each man was someone's son, someone's brother, someone's relative, someone's friend, and possibly ... someone's sweetheart. They were loved and cherished when they were alive and dearly missed after their death.
The second part of the book is an investigation concerning the "Needle Trench 10." The investigation into the events leading to the deaths and burial of this group of soldiers highlights shortfalls and inconsistencies in the management of information related to these casualties, which resulted in unimagined consequences that have existed for more than 100 years. Presenting compelling evidence, the investigation reveals the possible identity of the unknown ninth soldier of the group killed in the artillery barrage and who is buried in an unnamed grave in the Guards' Cemetery, Lesboeufs, alongside the named graves of his other eight mates. The likely place of burial of the 10th soldier, wounded by the same shell that killed the other nine men, before later dying on his way for medical treatment, is also disclosed.
"I want the readers to understand what these brave and amazing young men of a bygone era went through on the battlefields of the Western Front during WW1," the author states. "I want readers to understand why it is important to continue to find and identify the remains of these WW1 soldiers, even though the war ended more than 100 years ago. I want readers to have an understanding of what it must have been like for the families and loved ones of these soldiers, especially the ones who never returned, and how tens of thousands of families never really had closure following the death of their loved one … Finally, I want readers to know that every time they speak the names of the soldiers they have read about, their names and deeds will continue to live on."
Visit https://www.xlibris.com/en-au/bookstore/bookdetails/845652-their-names-shall-live-forever-more to get a copy.
"Their Names Shall Live Forever More"
By Trevor Jardine
Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 382 pages | ISBN 9798369492055
Softcover | 6 x 9in | 382 pages | ISBN 9798369492048
E-Book | 382 pages | ISBN 9798369492031
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the Author
Trevor Jardine recently retired following a successful teaching career of 45 years as a mathematics/information technology teacher and Head of Department in New South Wales and Queensland. The author lives in Springwood, Queensland, and has three adult children — twin daughters and a son. He was a volunteer member of Rural Bushfire Brigades in NSW for 10 years, the NSW SES (State Emergency Service) for 10 years, and has been an active member of the QLD SES for the past 21 years. The author has a genuine interest in Australian military history, particularly World War I, and researches the identity of unnamed Australian war casualties buried in military cemeteries in France and Belgium, providing submissions to the Unrecovered War Casualties Unit – Army, located in Canberra. The author also enjoys bushwalking, travel, and photography.
Xlibris Publishing Australia, an Author Solutions, LLC imprint, is a self-publishing services provider dedicated to serving Australian authors. By focusing on the needs of creative writers and artists and adopting the latest print-on-demand publishing technology and strategies, we provide expert publishing services with direct and personal access to quality publication in hardcover, trade paperback, custom leather-bound and full-color formats. To date, Xlibris has helped to publish more than 60,000 titles. For more information, visit xlibrispublishing.com.au or call 1-800-844-927 to receive a free publishing guide.
Media Contact
Marketing Services, XlibrisAU, 1-800-844-927, [email protected], www.xlibris.com/en-au
SOURCE XlibrisAU
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