Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire Portraits and biographies of Australians in the Great War
Sydney: B. Jackson and Company, [1918]. Large quarto, original red cloth, 388 pp., illustrated throughout. Front endpaper slightly chipped, lower edge of the front board bumped, but overall a sound solid copy. Scarce and useful biographical reference for ANZAC troopers of the First World War. Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire was published in several editions, each covering different states. The present example covers the rural communities New South Wales and Southern Queensland.
The book contains well over one thousand succinct and informative biographical summaries of the ANZACs who fought in all theatres of war, especially France, Belgium, Gallipoli, Egypt and Sinai. Along with a portrait photograph, typical details include the place and date of birth; school and tertirary education; date of enlistment and subsequent class, rank and military qualifications; involvement in actions against the enemy; injuries and/or date of death, and the location and duration of hospitalisation (where applicable).
While the book is not arranged alphabetically, it does include a table of contents arranged by towns of New South Wales and Southern Queensland, including some remote and isolated settlements who contributed a relatively small number of men to the War. Such is the utility of this book that it was recently reprinted as a facsimile edition, with a freshly compiled alphabetically organised index of names. Copies of the original editions and nonetheless scarce, and can be regarded as collector's pieces in their own right. Item #3003
Price (AUD): $1,000.00