Larrikins in khaki : tales of irreverence and courage from World War II diggers

From recruitment and training and the battlegrounds of Palestine, North Africa, Thailand, Burma and beyond, here are the highly individual stories of Australia's World War II Diggers told in their own voices - warts and all. With a reputation for being hard to discipline, generosity to their comrades, frankness and sticking it up any sign of pomposity, Australian soldiers were a wild and irreverent lot, even in the worst of circumstances during World War II. In Larrikins in Khaki , Tim Bowden has collected compelling and vivid stories of individual soldiers whose memoirs were mostly self-published and who told of their experiences with scant regard for literary pretensions and military niceties. Most of these men had little tolerance for military order and discipline, and NCOs and officers who were hopeless at their jobs were made aware of it. They laughed their way through the worst of it by taking the mickey out of one another and their superiors. From recruitment and training to the battlegrounds of Palestine, North Africa, Thailand, New Guinea, Borneo and beyond, here are the highly individual stories of Australia's World War II Diggers told in their own voices - warts and all. Cover; Title; Imprint; Dedication; Contents; INTRODUCTION; MILITARY UNITS; Chapter 1 JOINING UP; Chapter 2 VERY BASIC TRAINING; Chapter 3 SAILING TO WAR; Chapter 4 DESERT DIGGERS PREPARE FOR WAR; Chapter 5 HIGH JINKS IN EGYPT; Chapter 6 FIGHTING IN THE DESERT; Chapter 7 ILL-FATED GREEK ADVENTURE; Chapter 8 OUT OF THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE; Chapter 9 THE ALLIED INVASION OF LEBANON AND SYRIA; Chapter 10 THE TIDE TURNS; Chapter 11 RETURN TO AUSTRALIA; Chapter 12 PRISONERS OF WAR OF THE JAPANESE; Chapter 13 THE RAILWAY OF DEATH; Chapter 14 SERVICE AT HOME Chapter 15 THE SAGA OF THE FLYING FOOTSLOGGERSChapter 16 THE KOKODA TRACK AND THE BLOODY BEACHHEADS; Chapter 17 THE BATTLE FOR NEW GUINEA; Chapter 18 AN UNNECESSARY CAMPAIGN; Chapter 19 SAVAGERY IN BOUGAINVILLE; Chapter 20 BLOODY BORNEO-TARAKAN AND BALIKPAPAN; Chapter 21 THE LOST YEARS AND DAMAGED LIVES; Chapter 22 RETAIN ALL PRISONERS OF WAR INDEFINITELY; Chapter 23 FINAL THOUGHTS; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; NOTES; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX From recruitment and training and the battlegrounds of Palestine, North Africa, Thailand, Burma and beyond, here are the highly individual stories of Australia's World War II Diggers told in their own voices - warts and all.;Cover; Title; Imprint; Dedication; Contents; INTRODUCTION; MILITARY UNITS; Chapter 1 JOINING UP; Chapter 2 VERY BASIC TRAINING; Chapter 3 SAILING TO WAR; Chapter 4 DESERT DIGGERS PREPARE FOR WAR; Chapter 5 HIGH JINKS IN EGYPT; Chapter 6 FIGHTING IN THE DESERT; Chapter 7 ILL-FATED GREEK ADVENTURE; Chapter 8 OUT OF THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE; Chapter 9 THE ALLIED INVASION OF LEBANON AND SYRIA; Chapter 10 THE TIDE TURNS; Chapter 11 RETURN TO AUSTRALIA; Chapter 12 PRISONERS OF WAR OF THE JAPANESE; Chapter 13 THE RAILWAY OF DEATH; Chapter 14 SERVICE AT HOME