Gallipoli Diaries

[Dolphin]

Jonathan King's 2003 book Gallipoli Diaries has just been republished in paperback at a recommended retail price of $A34.95, though I found it in K-Mart for $24.95.

In essence it's a collection of [primarily Australian] first hand accounts of the Gallipoli campaign woven into a day-by-day history of the campaign at Anzac Cove and the Anzac participation at Cape Helles. As such, it's interesting reading, but it could have done with some more editing to remove some repeated statements and to clear up some confusion, such as mention of a "Lt L Richards" of the 1st Bn, AIF, who is said to have played Rugby for Australia and England - something that no one has done. The author probably means [then] Lance Corporal Thomas Richards of the 1st Field Ambulance, who was later commissioned in the 1st Bn. He played Rugby for Australia between 1908 and 1912 and for Great Britain in South Africa in 1910. Curiously, the only other man to have played for both Australia and Great Britain was Major Blair Swannell of the 1st Bn, who played for Great Britain in 1899 and 1904 and for Australia in 1905; he was killed in action during the landing.

Unfortunately, it isn't easy to identify the unit of some of the men who are quoted, which can be quite annoying. The book has a complete list of the Australian and New Zealand fatal casualties during the campaign.

It's a fair-ish effort, and it's good to read the participants' own words, but I think that my verdict on the book would have to be "Could have done better".

Gareth