This week is Legacy Week and as a proud supporter of Legacy, Regimental Books would like to bring this to everyone’s attention.

Legacy week – Australia’s iconic fundraising campaign since 1942. It is also known for its Badge Day and the iconic badges offered as a token of appreciation for the donation made by the public.

Legacy week is the annual national appeal to raise awareness and funds for the families of our deceased Veterans. It is held in towns and cities big and small across Australia and supported by young and old.

The funds raised from this year’s Legacy Week Appeal will help Legacy continue to assist over 100,000 widows and 1,900 children and people with disabilities Australia-wide, with essential services such as, counselling, special housing, medical, advocacy and social support.

Public support will also help Legacy nurture children’s education, by contributing towards their school fees, books, uniforms, and recreational activities to aid their self development and confidence.

There are thousands of Australian Defence Force personnel currently deployed overseas. Legacy stands ready to assist their families should the worst happen.

Help keep the promise by becoming a volunteer or donor now. All funds raised will help continue our essential role in the community.

Good Reading and please support this great cause!

Glenn and the Regimental Books Team

Palestine – Australia’s Palestine Campaign, 1916-18

by Jean Bou

With nearly two mounted divisions engaged against the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East for almost three years the Palestine Campaign was Australia’s longest running militarily significant endeavour of the First World War after the Western Front. And yet apart from the battle of Beersheba, the Palestine Campaign receives little attention in Australia compared to Gallipoli and the Western Front.

In contrast to the years of grinding trench warfare in France and Belgium, the Palestine Campaign was a war of relative movement and manoeuvre. Cavalry, including Australia’s light horse, played a prominent role, but it was a hard fought fully modern war, in which the latest military technologies and techniques were all used.

The author, Jean Bou, is one of Australia’s foremost experts on the Australian Light Horse and this title is another great overview of their exploits in the Palestine campaign.

I’m keen to read it myself.

Available now in the Regimental Books Online Store for the great price of $19.95.

Good Reading,

Glenn and the Regimental Books Team

The Battle for Wau 1942-1943

Based on a detailed analysis of the battlefield, this book outlines how the victory at Wau was achieved and demonstrates how determined leadership can turn the tide of battle.

Throughout most of 1942, the Australian Army fought a series of commando actions to keep the Japanese at bay in the Wau – Salamaua area of New Guinea. The Australian commando operation against Salamaua in June 1942 is still considered to be ‘the perfect raid’.

Following other commando actions at Mubo, the Japanese reinforced their troops at Salamaua in January 1943, and conducted a daring operation to capture Wau. Advancing by way of a seemingly impassable track between the Australian outposts, a force of two infantry battalions reached the foothills overlooking Wau before coming up against a single Australian company of infantry.

Courageously led by Captain Bill Sherlock this small force held the Japanese advance at bay for a vital 36 hours, allowing other Australian troops to be rushed in to defend Wau. More importantly, the Australian stand enabled fresh troops to be flown in to the vital airfield and these men changed the course of the battle.

Available now in the Regimental Books Online Store for the awesome price of $19.95.

Good Reading,

Glenn and the Regimental Books Team

The end of August found German troops at their last stronghold at Mont St Quentin – overlooking the Somme River and the town of Péronne. Mont St Quentin stood out in the surrounding country, making it a perfect observation point and a vital strategic area to control. This area was key to the German defence of the Somme line. As it was such an important area, Lieutenant General Sir John Monash was keen to capture it and thus possess a valuable position.

The offensive was planned by General John Monash; Monash planned a high-risk frontal assault which required the Australian 2nd Division to cross a series of marshes to attack the heights. This plan failed when the assaulting troops could not cross the marshes. After this initial setback, Monash manœuvred his divisions in the only free manœuvre battle of any consequence undertaken by the Australians on the Western Front.

Australians of the Second Division crossed to the north bank of the Somme River on the evening of 30 August. At 5 am on 31 August 1918, supported by artillery, two Australian battalions, charged up Mont St Quentin. The Germans quickly surrendered and the Australians continued to the main German trench-line. In the rear, other Australians crossed the Somme by a bridge which Australian engineers had saved and repaired. The Australians were unable to hold their gains on Mont St Quentin and German reserves regained the crest.

However, the Australians held on just below the summit and next day it was recaptured and firmly held. On that day also, 1 September 1918, Australian forces broke into Péronne and took most of the town. The next day it completely fell into Australian hands. In three days the Australians lost 3000 casualties but ensured a general German withdrawal eastwards back to the Hindenburg Line.

Regimental Books is delighted to recommend the following Australian military books for those who are interested in reading about the Battle of Mont St Quentin:

Mont St Quentin. A Soldier’s Battle

by Bill Billett

Click here to Securely Purchase a Copy

Men of Mont St Quentin: Between Victory and Death

by Peter Stanley

Click here to Securely Purchase a Copy

Click on each link to purchase them securely via the Regimental Books Online Store. If you would like any further information about these, just call is on 07-3865-2615 or 0412-193-945 or via email at info@regimental-books.com.au.

And if you are considering visiting the French Battlefields, we highly recommend Battlefield Tours.

Good Reading,

Glenn and the Regimental Books Team

Are you interested in getting into some exciting military history discussions with people with a similar interestes? Or just finding out what’s been happening in Australian military history?

If so, join us on the Regimental Books Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Regimental-Books-An-authority-on-Australian-military-history/327763524523

We certainly look forward to hearing from you.

And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter to get news about what’s happening with Regimental Books, new product information, military history research tips and tricks and much, much more!

We love social media and find it a great way to keep in touch with our customers and friends.

Follow us on Twitter today: http://www.twitter.com/regimentalbooks

Good Reading,

Glenn and the Regimental Books Team

Ps

Have you signed up for our new weekly newsletter? It’s easy to subscribe to, free and you can sign up for it on this blog!

Father’s Day (September 7^th) is fast approaching and many people are now searching for a special gift to give to their Dad.

Are you looking for something “blokey” that your dad will enjoy?

Are you looking for something interesting and engaging for him?

How about an Australian military book?

We have a large selection of Australian military books (including the largest range of Australian unit history books in Australia) and with many titles that will certainly appeal to Dad!

Father’s Day is only just a bit over a week away so act fast if you want to get him that something special.

Click here to visit our large range of Australian military books in the Regimental Books Online Store and make Dad very happy with that special gift.

Good Reading and a very Happy Father’s Day to all Dads out there!

Glenn and the Regimental Books Team

We are currently in the process of producing several reprints of Australian military books (unit history books) as e-books.

The e-book digital format is becoming more popular with people and we are very keen to hear your thoughts on the subject. We have a lot of old and rare Australian military books that we plan on making available as digital e-books, however it will depend on demand.

Would you be interested in e-books that can be read on either a PC, laptop or a dedicated e-book reader?

Please let us know. Your comments and feedback are invaluable to us.

We also have a one question survey here about e-books:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3YQ8BZK

As an Australian military history company, one of our goals is the promotion of Australian military history, as we believe that it’s an important aspect of Australia’s history. We have a few exciting projects currently in progress that will provide great Australian military history content for researchers, authors, family historians or just anyone interested in that topic.

To keep up to date with these developments, make sure you bookmark the Regimental Books blog. For those who use RSS, we also have an RSS feed and of course we have a social media presence.

Join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Good Reading,

Glenn and the Regimental Books Team

We are always looking to buy Australian military books and especially Australian unit history books. So if you after some extra cash (or even a trade in) let us know as we are always interested.

Call us on 07-3865-2615 (or you can get me on my mobile phone 0412-193-945) or email us at info@regimental-books.com.au.

Great cash rates offered!

Good Reading,

Glenn and the Regimental Books Team

We just got in an exciting new book by Dr Peter Stanley. It was launched last week and is about a fascinating topic – the bad boys of the AIF.

Bad Characters : Sex, Crime, Mutiny, Murder and The Australian Imperial Force

Australia’s long-standing love affair with the Diggers has blinded us to the dark side of the Anzac legend.

Bad Characters is a book that will do something no other book has tried to do. It will tell the story of the Australian soldiers in the Great War who were not heroes: soldiers who committed offences and crimes; those who malingered, deserted, robbed and murdered their comrades; those who took part in riots, strikes and mutiny.

The term ‘bad characters’ was used by the army to refer to those who caused unrest or were disobedient: their crimes ranged from avoiding battle, absenteeism, desertion, disobedience and self-inflicting wounds and contracting venereal disease, to the more extreme charges of murder and mutiny.

Bad Characters travels from the outbreak of the war through the agonising course of the conflict to its end and beyond, to the memory of the larrikin Digger that has survived in folklore and anecdote to this day. The AIF’s first and greatest historian Charles Bean thought that the finest tribute we could pay to the men that he knew was to tell their story straight.

Based on extensive research, Peter Stanley’s honest, unflinching, humane and respectful book recounts dramatic, and often tragic, stories of the AIF’s dark side, many for the first time, and in doing blends ‘true crime’ with ‘war history’. More importantly, it fosters a truer understanding of who these men were, what they did in the war, and what this terrible war did to them.

Bad Characters is now available for sale in the Regimental Books Online Shop.

Good Reading,

Glenn and the Regimental Books Team

It’s been a great day for new Australian military book titles. We have several new titles in stock and all are now available for sale in the Regimental Books Online Shop. Just click on each link to purchase the book.

36 Days : The Untold Story Behind the Gallipoli Landings

Return of the Gallipoli Legend – Jacka VC

The Men Who Came Out Of The Ground : A Gripping Account of Australia’s First Commando Campaign: Timor 1942

The Changi Brownlow : An inspirational story of the Aussie team spirit – mateship and sacrifice, courage and endurance

Arthur’s War

Good Reading,

Glenn and the Regimental Books Team