Dolphin Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Both Sides of the Wire [iSBN 978 1 74237 616 5] is an account of the war service of Capt William Cull, 23rd and 22nd Battalions, AIF, edited by Aaron Pegrum from the AWM. It is interesting as it's one of the rare books that describe life as a Prisoner of War in German hands in 1917 and 1918. Capt Cull was captured when he was badly wounded during a trench raid in February 1917, and his story of his treatment (and mis-treatment) in German hospitals and PoW camps adds to our knowledge of that aspect of the conflict. The book was originally published as At All Costs in 1919, and the writing style is that of the wartime and immediate post-wartime period, with descriptions of his German captors that are not exactly flattering to them. However, given that the author's life was ruined by his wounds, it is understandable. I found it a fascinating read, and worth the $20 I paid at Big W. Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john jerome mcmanus Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 G'day Dolphin, Sounds interesting, was it purchased recently/is it still available at Big W? Regards Pop (Sean McManus) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 2 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Pop I bought my copy two days ago, so it should still be around. It's also advertised in the latest issue of Wartime, the AWM journal, but at a higher price. Cheers Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Pegram Posted 10 April , 2011 Share Posted 10 April , 2011 Thanks for the kind words chaps. If anyone is interested in purchasing a signed copy from myself, I'd be all too happy to assist. Gareth - you're bang on. The RRP is $27.95 - not sure what's going on with Big W! All the best, Aaron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 11 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2011 Aaron Thanks very much for the offer - I'm almost sorry that I already have a copy. I found the photograph of morning appell at Karlsruhe interesting, as several of the men were wearing RFC uniforms or General Service tunics with RFC pilot or observer wings. If only we knew who they were! Congratulations on producing such a fascinating book. A check at http://booko.com.au/books/isbn/9781742376165 shows that Big W no longer has the book in stock. Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Pegram Posted 12 April , 2011 Share Posted 12 April , 2011 My pleasure Gareth. Yes, I found that photograph interesting too. I've since confirmed that Karlsruhe was a transit camp for British officers, which would have included plenty of AFC, RFC and even RNAS men at one time or another. Im fortunate to have copies of the papers of Lieutenant Ivo Agnew Cumberland, 68 Squadron RFC/2 Squadron AFC, who was forced down behind German lines and taken prisoner in October 1917. He spent six months at Karlsruhe, and has several portraits with his fellow flyers taken from inside the camp before being transferred to Mainz where he sat out the rest of the war. Other Australian airmen ended up at Landshut, Bavaria, but seem to have passed through Karlsruhe at one point or another. In short, its not surprising that there are a few flyers in that particular photograph, but as there were only 21 AFC airmen captured by the Germans on the Western Front, those seen in the photograph are most likely to be Brits. Im glad you enjoyed Cull's book Gareth - and I appreciate your kind words. All the best, Aaron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frev Posted 12 April , 2011 Share Posted 12 April , 2011 If anyone is interested in purchasing a signed copy from myself, I'd be all too happy to assist. Drat! I ordered my copy from the AWM only last Thursday - oh well. Hopefully it will arrive soon Cheers, Frev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David B Posted 12 April , 2011 Share Posted 12 April , 2011 Doubleday were offering it in their latest copy at 24.95 I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmi01 Posted 7 May , 2011 Share Posted 7 May , 2011 I'm keen to read Both Sides of the Wire - how does it compare to William Cull's original "At all Costs"? An expanded edition or a companion book? Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Pegram Posted 15 May , 2011 Share Posted 15 May , 2011 Hi Mick, The only additions to "At all costs" are my introduction, epilogue and explanitory notes througout the text. All the best, Aaron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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