Authors

Alan Smith has an Associate Diploma in Industrial Chemistry and a Master in Commerce and Economics. He was commissioned to the RAA in 1954 and served with the Royal Artillery in the UK and Canada. Back in Australia he continued his military career focusing in logistics staff appointments in HQ’s of Communication Zone and 8 Task Force, he was awarded the Efficiency Decoration in 1966 and retired in 1968. Alan then commenced his 36year career as an executive member of the Broken Hill Proprietary Company. He is the Editor of Cannonball the Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Company where he continues to ensure the history of artillery is not forgotten.

Dr Albert Palazzo is a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Army's Land Warfare Studies Centre in Canberra. He has written widely on warfare in the modern age, and on the Australian Army in particular. His many publications include: 'Seeking Victory on the Western Front: The British Army & Chemical Warfare in World War I'; 'The Australian Army: A Hisotry of its Organisation, 1901-2001'; 'Defenders of Australia: The Third Australian Division'; 'Battle of Crete'; 'The Royal Australian Corps of Transport'; and 'From Molteke to bin Laden:The Relevance of Doctrine in the Contemporary Military Environment'.

Brian P. Farrell is Deputy Head of the Department of History at the Department of History at the National University of Singapore, where he has been teaching military history since 1993. Brian's research interest is the military history of the British Empire. He has published more extensively on the defence and fall of Singapore than any other scholar, his main work being 'The Defence and Fall of Singapore 1940-1942', for which he drew extensively on Australian primary sources. Brian also uses the ground as a primary source, has toured the battlefields of Malaya and Singapore extensively, and provided many of the photos and travel notes from his own work.

Catherine McCullagh is a Canberra based freelance editor who counts military history as one of her specialties. She grew up in Tasmania, completed an Arts Degree at the Australian National University in

Canberra and then joined the Australian Regular Army where she served for twenty years in a variety of appointments ranging from the study and teaching of Mandarin Chinese to Senior Editor at the Army’s doctrine publishing cell and Research Editor at the Land Warfare Studies Centre (the Chief of Army’s ‘think tank’).

She left the army in 2004 and established her own freelance business, working primarily for the Australian Army History Unit, and working on manuscripts that range in subject from the tunnellers of World War I to chemical warfare in World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War and the modern peacekeeping and operational deployments of today’s military. Willingly into the Fray is her first compilation. Catherine is an avid reader, bushwalker and lover of the fine arts and lives with her family in Jerrabomberra.

Charles Granquist was born in 1922 at Blaxland in the Blue Mountains.

When war broke out in 1939, Charles increased his age from 17 to 19 and joined the A.I.F. sailing with the 2/4th Battalion on board the Strathnaver to Egypt. He served with his battalion in Bardia, Tobruk, Derna and Benghazi before being wounded in Greece in 1941 and captured by the Germans.

Christopher Jobson was born in 1946 and educated at Cranbrook School in Sydney. A professional soldier, joining the Australian Regular Army in 1968, he served in the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery and saw active service in South Vietnam.

Marcus Fielding was born and raised in Melbourne. He joined the Regular Army in 1983 and graduated from the Royal Military College Duntroon as a Lieutenant in 1986.

In the following decades of military service Marcus held a broad range of senior appointments in Army, joint and interagency organisations in a number of locations throughout Australia and overseas.

Marcus participated in four operational deployments. In 1992 he directed operations to clear land mines in Afghanistan. In 1995 he coordinated infrastructure construction projects in Haiti.

In 1999 and 2000 Marcus directed security operations and coordinated the repatriation of displaced persons as part of the Australian-led international force in East Timor. For his work in East Timor, he was awarded Commendation for Distinguished Service.

In 2008 and 2009 Marcus spent nine months as a senior member of the Headquarters Multi-National Force–Iraq in Baghdad. There are few Australian books written about the contentious war in Iraq. Red Zone Baghdad presents a rare glimpse into the reality of an officer's war in our time.

Craig Deayton was born in Hobart in 1959, one of seven children to parents who both served in the Army in World War II. He studied History at University of Tasmania and graduated as a teacher in 1983, taught in London and throughout Tasmania and has been a College Principal since 1994.

His interest in the military history where sparked by his Grandfather (a WW1 veteran) from whom he inherited two volumes of Charles Bean’s Official History at the age of 12. He is married to Tracey, has four children, lives in Hobart and is Principal of Sacred Heart College. His leisure interests are bushwalking, surfing and cycling but his passion is history and he collects history books and memorabilia.

In 2007, Craig received a grant from the Army History Unit to conduct research in Europe and trekked the battlefields of the 47th Battalion in France and Belgium. His new book Battle Scarred is the culmination of his research

Craig Smith lives in Sydney and is a teacher by trade. Craig has a love of military history, is married to Sheree and has four boys Andrew, Matthew, James and Daniel. Craig managed the interesting and yet time consuming research for the Aussie Soldier Battle book

His family’s military service began in Australia with Private James McManus in the NSW’s Corps in 1788 and Corporal James Frazer in Lieutenant Colonel Macquarie’s 73rd Foot in 1809.

Dr Craig Stockings is a Senior lecturer in History at UNSW at the Australian Defence Force Academy. He graduated from ADFA with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in History and Politics. After graduating from the Royal Military College of Duntroon in 1996 he was commissioned as an infantry officer and served in a range of appointments, including an operational deployment to East Timor in 1999/2000. His areas of academic interest concern general and Australian military history and operational analysis.

Damien has been working as a consultant hydrogeologist for a global geosciences and engineering consulting company for 20 years, during which time he has lived in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. He is an amateur military historian with a special interest in the First World War. He lives with his wife Sacha of 10 years and three

children, Peter, Imogen and Gretl in Tatura, north-central Victoria. Damien loves classical music, reading, researching history and watching his children grow up.

Dave Morgan was born in Melbourne in 1948. With a childhood filled with many moves due to his mother's ill heath and her need to find work, Dave found adventure and a taste for travelling. He joined the Citizens Military Force in his sub-senior year and took private flying lessons, eventually joining the Army at the end of the school year.

On 1 January 1969, he left his family in Brisbane for Vietnam as part of the 104 Signal Squadron. During his term, he served at several fire support bases and dealt with attacks by the Viet Cong. During one of those attacks, his pit hole engulfed him, and after he returned to an unsympathetic Australia, he started reliving that experience night after night.

He hid it well from all but his family – wife Deb and children David and Michelle. They moved around Queensland for Dave’s job as a Technical Officer (Weather Observer) for the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, but his desire for isolation led him to expeditions at Macquarie Island and Davis Station. A few hours after he arrived at Casey Station for his next expedition, he slipped on blue ice and his severe head and neck injury forced a medivac back to the mainland.

Now retired, Dave is seeking treatment for his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which Antarctica finally made him acknowledge.

Dr David Cameron is a biological anthropologist and was

formerly an Australian Research Council QEII Fellow at the

Department of Anatomy & Histology, University of Sydney.

He has written several books and this is his third on the

Gallipoli Campaign. In early 2003 he conducted a preliminary

archaeological survey of the Anzac Gallipoli battlefields and

held discussions with Turkish and Australian government

officials about conservation issues relating to the Anzac area.

He is currently completing a book on the Battle for Lone Pine.

David Coombes was born and grew-up in Hobart, Tasmania. Before moving to Sydney. He graduated from the Flinders University of SA (BA) -- as a mature age student -- University of Adelaide (BA, Hons) and subsequently was awarded a PhD from University of Sydney.

His interests include supporting Essendon in the AFL -- yes a masochist -- a cricket tragic in the summer months and reading a good thriller over a glass of Tasmanian red! He loves travel – and his favourite city is St Petersburg in Russia. Despite the usually bad weather, the history, culture music and the people of this imperial city fascinate him.

David lives in Mornington, Tasmania.

'Aussie Soldier, Up Close and Personal' was Denny’s first book to be published and covers a topic close to his heart – that of the Aussie digger and the ‘real’ story behind the uniform. Denny has since published 'Aussie Soldier, Prisoner's of War' and 'Soldiers' Tales', both continuing the spirit of recognising the Aussie digger.

Diane Evans is an experienced and committed HR professional who has in excess of 15 years experience in senior HR roles across a diverse range of industries. With her work experience she thought she was ready for any curve balls motherhood could serve – after all she was used to dealing with conflict, chaos and the odd tantrum!

Dr David Craig is an international expert in undercover operations who has used these deceit detection techniques extensively. He has a significant amount of practical experienced in the field of criminology and undercover work.

He gained his doctorate in law by completing international research of undercover programs in the United States (FBI, DEA, US Customs), Canada (RCMP), the United Kingdom (Scotland Yard, National and Scottish Crime Squad) and the Netherlands (Politie). He is based in Brisbane with his wife and four children.

Dr Garth Pratten is a senior lecturer in the Department of War Studies at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. He has worked as a historian for both the Austrlaian Army and The Australian War Memorial, and taught history at Deakin University. He has been a member of the Australian Army Reserve for seventeen years. The grandson of a veteran of the siege of Tobruk, Garth's principal historical interest is the Australian experience of the Second World War, with a particular focus on the conduct of military operations. In April 2006 he was awarded the Australian Army's CEW Bean Prize for Military Hisotry for his PhD thesis on Australian battlaion commanders in the Second World War.

Gary Bertwistle is a dad, author, corporate presenter, cyclist, co-founder of the Tour de Cure and founder of 6 Strings 4 Cancer. This is Gary’s 6th book and by far the most rewarding and important work.... to date!

Chaplain Graeme Ramsden was born in Kingaroy, Queensland he began his military career in 1965, he served in Vietnam as a soldier with the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineer Corps in 1968-69. In 1976, he was commissioned and served as a quartermaster, officer commanding a workshop and, as an instructor at the Land Warfare Centre.

In 1990, Graeme undertook theological studies and was ordained as a deacon of the Roman Catholic Church and developed a wide pastoral experience with the church. In 1993, Graeme Ramsden commenced duties as a chaplain in the Australian Regular Army. Graeme is married to Dianne and father of four.

Jason Foster is an author, poet, journalist and History teacher at Jamison High School in Sydney’s western suburbs. He holds a Masters Degree in History and is currently studying a Diploma in Languages (Spanish).

Jason is widely travelled having travelled through over fifty countries. He has taught in Australia, the United Kingdom, Spain and Argentina. Experiences which bring a distinct range and unique angle to his writing.

He has been published all over the world with his work being published in American History magazines, Australian travel magazines and poetry anthologies in the United Kingdom. Seven Bones, written in conjunction with former Detective Peter Seymour, is his first major true crime novel.

Jean Bou is a historian at the Australian War Memorial and a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University, where he is working on the multi-volume 'Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and post-Cold War Operations'. He is the author or co-editor of several books on Australian military history including 'Light Horse: a History of Australia's Mounted Arm', 'A Century of Service, Duty First' (2nd edition) and 'The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History' (2nd edition). An Army Reserve officer in the RAAC, he is presently serving with the Army History Unit.

Josh Langley is an advertising copywriter having spent the last 16 years in radio and has been nominated and won several state, national and international radio copywriting awards. He also runs his own creative agency.

Kay Danes

Author, Humanitarian and Speaker

Kay Danes latest release ‘Beneath the Pale Blue Burqa’ has enjoyed record sales and highly acclaimed international reviews.

This former director of an International Security company now author, humanitarian and speaker, has addressed several U.S. Congressional forums on democracy, a key note speaker at the US National Press Club, and is the only Australian panellist to the 61st Conference on World Affairs (2009) attended by 91,000. Previous guest speakers included Eleanor Roosevelt and US vice-president Joe Biden.

Kay frequently appears on the public speaking circuit at Universities, Multi-National Corporations (Working in a Hostile Environment), Defence Organisations (Hostage Survival), and Literary Festivals (Brisbane, Gold Coast & Perth Writer’s Festivals).

Recognised as one of Australia's leading humanitarians and a Paul Harris Fellow, Kay Danes has received numerous awards and accolades for service to the community. Kay was one of four finalists in the 2012 Australian of the Year awards for Qld. The Awards draw attention to exceptional Australians making a difference in the community and to the nation. She was also a finalist in the 2011 Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Awards.

Kay is the Australian Liaison for the Childlight Foundation for Afghan Children (USA Charity) which takes her deep into the heart of a warzone, Afghanistan, resulting in the latest publication of ‘Beneath the Pale Blue Burqa’.

Kay is the Patron of the Gold Coast Writer’s Association and has numerous academic qualifications in writing and is completing a Bachelor of Arts (International Aid and Development).

Kay is also the bestselling author of “Families Behind Bars”- Stories of Injustice, Endurance and Hope (2008/2011), and her own inspirational hostage survival story “Standing Ground”- (2009) [UK release Nightmare in Laos 2006, 2010].

www.kaydanes.com

Warrant Officer Class One Kevin ‘Irish’ O’Halloran was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1961 and migrated to Australia with his parents, elder brother and two sisters in 1970. He grew up around the inner suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, for most of his teenage years and was educated at University High School, Parkville. He left school at the end of 1978 aged 17, and worked on numerous labouring jobs. In April 1981, he joined the Army and has served on four operational tours of duty, all in the Royal Australian Infantry Corps (RAInf). Two with the 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) and 2 with the 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR). He is still in the Army with 28 years of service. ‘Pure Massacre’ is his and others personal accounts of the genocide of the Kibeho Internally Displaced Person’s Camp massacre in Rwanda in 1995. He lives in Perth and is married to Michelle and they have two children Sean and Siobhan

Kirsty Harris was born in Launceston, Tasmania and lived there until she was 16 when she moved to Canberra. Post high school, she joined the Australian Army and served both as a private soldier and officer in Signals Corps (RASIGS) in Sydney, Melbourne, Toowoomba and Wagga. She left after ten years and went to university in Melbourne where she completed a BA in history and public relations.

Kirsty worked in the corporate sector for seven years in a variety of communications positions, completing her MA before moving to consultancy and contract work on a part time basis. In 2002 she commenced her candidature for a doctorate in history, researching the work and work practices of nurses in the Australian Army during World War I. This book is the result of that study.

Dr Kirsty Harris has both an academic and military background but is not a nurse. She is currently an Honorary Fellow at the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne.

Kirsty lives in Melbourne, Victoria. Her current interests include sleeping in, research and writing, bike riding, food and wine, and avoiding injections!

Lieutenant Colonel Glenn Wahlert was born in Melbourne in 1956. He is a graduate of the Officer Cadet School Portsea, Army Command & Staff College, Deakin University and the University of NSW. After 20 years of service in the regular Army he transferred to the Army Reserve where he is currently a member of the Army History Unit, Canberra. In his 'day job' he is a member of Defence's Senior Executive Service and holds the appointment of Director General of Industry Strategy in the Defence Material Organisation. Lieutenant Colonel Wahlert is the author of several books and journal articles on topics ranging from military history to high-technology crime.

John Murray was born at The Rocks in Sydney in 1892, the fourth of seven children or Irish immigrants. He was educated at St Patrick’s and went to work at Anthony Horderns in 1910. At the same time he joined the Citizen Military Force, in which he remained between the wars. He enlisted in the AIF in 1915 and fought in the AIF in both the First and Second World Wars.

He ended the war as General Officer Commanding the Northern Territory Force. Major General Murray died in 1951 after a short diplomatic career. His hobbies were family, motoring and military art.

Marcus Pedro is an inspirational speaker and motivator. As a child, growing up on Moa Island in the Torres Strait, Marcus had no self-confidence. He didn’t believe in himself. He failed at primary

school, he failed at high school, and his friends called him a ‘duffer’,’ loser’, ‘no hoper’, someone who was never going to be anybody or go anywhere. The only thing he excelled at was sports. His first job as an apprentice panel-beater, spray-painter mechanic just added to his selfdoubt, when he quit using racism as an excuse to hide his embarrassment at failing his technical course.

Marty Wilson is a stand up comic, speaker and author of the bestselling What I Wish I Knew series. More importantly he’s a husband, a dad, a brother and a son, who in his life has only lost a couple of loved ones to cancer. After speaking to everyone in this book he knows how lucky that makes him.

Michael Tyquin was born in Melbourne, raised in a farm near Werribee in Victoria. He attended boarding school at St. Patrick’s College, Ballarat, school cadets, joined the Army Reserve in 1982, Mike is still active as an officer in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps, of which he is the official historian.

Mikes interests in animals was obvious at a young age with his proud ownership of his first pony. Both his father and grandfather have bred and used Clydesdale horses. As a young boy he was intrigued by tales and recollections told by family and neighbours of the Light Horse, and waited in vain for similar exploits of the heavy horse, many of which could be seen grazing in the surrounding paddocks, but which never seemed to merit a place in our local folklore.

When Mike was researching the history of the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps for its centenary he came across a number of intriguing references to veterinarians and farriers and other men who made up the veterinary corps. It was then that he made a decision to revisit this group, bringing its story into the light of day and record its contribution to the Australian army.

He likes researching history, overseas travel and wind surfing. He is widely published and is currently in the early research phase of a new book on profiteering and fraud in wartime Australia. He is also completing his first historical novel, set in the Boer War. Mike volunteered with Medicin Sans Frontiers to go to East Timor at his own expense during its troubles in 1999, and returned again for six months with the Army in 2008.

Mike lives in Canberra, ACT

Peter Beale served as a troop leader in the 9th Royal Tank Regiment in Normandy and the north-west Europe campaign in 1944-45, during which he was wounded twice. After demobilisation he obtained a degree in electrical engineering at University College, London. He emigrated to Australia in 1956, where he worked as a management consultant. Peter has written three books on tanks in WWII; Tank Tracks, Death by Design and The Great Mistake. His wife Shirley has assisted with the research for all of his books. Peter and Shirley live in Valentine, NSW.

Peter Edgar was born at Port Augusta, South Australia; educated at Scotch College, Adelaide; holds a BA (Hons) degree in History from the University of Adelaide and a MA (Hons) in history from UNSW University College, ADFA. He spent 31years working in the Commonwealth Departments of Immigration, Territories, Trade Practices, Social Services, Prime Minister and Cabinet and Departments dealing with Arts, Film, Heritage and Environment.

Peters first book To Villers-Bretonneux was published in 2006. He lives in Canberra and is married to the writer Suzanne Edgar. He enjoys tennis, jazz piano, political debate and fly fishing.

Peter joined the NSW Police Force in 1980 as an eighteen-year-old. He worked as a general duties officer for two years before gaining the rank of Detective. He worked as a Detective for twelve years at various stations across Sydney. In 1992, Peter moved into the Police Prosecutor’s Branch. In 2001, Peter became the Crime Co-ordinator of the Crime Management Unit at St Mary’s in Sydney’s western suburbs. In his time as a police officer Peter has investigated several murder cases, including that of Jean Angela Keir. He has also investigated numerous armed robbery, rape and fraud cases. As a Police Prosecutor he was involved in countless inquests into suspicious deaths and much of the evidence he gathered for these cases led to murder convictions.

Phillip Bradley is a military historian specialising in the Australian campaigns in Papua New Guinea during World War II. He is the author of 'On Shaggy Ridge' (2004, and 'The Battle for Wau: New Guinea's Frontline' (2008).

Born in Egypt 1945 of British parents, Professor Nell Arnold travelled through many post war African countries in search of an education. She remains an activist for human rights, working with world organisations to build voice and presence for people of global conscience and inspiration.

Bob Lowry was born in Tasmania in 1946 and joined the Australian Army in 1963 retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1993. He served around Australia and in Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia during that time. He graduated from the Australian Staff College in 1980 and the Indonesian Army Command and Staff College in 1984 and was a military attaché in Jakarta for two years thereafter.

Since then he has worked at various times for the Australian Institute of International Affairs, the Australian Defence Studies Centre, and the International Crisis Group (Jakarta). He has also undertaken contract research on defence and security related issues and was contracted as adviser to the East Timorese National Security Adviser 2002-03, and to chair the Fiji national security and defence review in 2004.

Robert lives in Sutton, NSW. He has a BA (Asian Studies) from ANU and a MDefS from UNSW.

Sharon has worked for over 15 years as a marketing management consultant in brand/category development nationally and overseas. Over the last 6 years she has created her own business focusing on new product development, co-authored a book with her sister, and started a publishing company. Sharon is relatively new to the career/mum juggling act. The fact that each day throws out a new challenge certainly keeps it feeling ‘fresh’.

Terry Hawkins is an award winning educator, bestselling author, successful businesswoman, speaker and loving mother. Her passion for giving people the tools to take ownership of their life is no more prevalent than in her adorable Stickman Rules! children’s series. This simple, down-to-earth series of beautifully designed books will give children a powerful support mechanism for life. Terry currently lives in America with her family.

Terry was born in Sydney, in 1959. He left school in grade 10 and after a number of years of trying to find his niche in life Terry decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a career soldier. He enlisted into the Army in 1978 joining the Medical Corps with the aim to focus his military career on assisting and training others in preference over inflicting harm.

Veronica Neave is a highly respected Theatre Actor acclaimed nationally and internationally. She has appeared in over fifty stage productions within Australia from Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams to writing and appearing in various shows with Kate Champion’s Force Majeure and has worked in a number of TV series as well. Veronica has featured in a number of films and has just completed filming as the lead in an Australian film – Girl Clock. Known for her versatility in the Arts industry she is a performer, writer, teacher and director.

William (Bill) Park was born in Brisbane in 1920 and served during World War II in infantry and cipher units of the Australian Army. After the war, he completed his Commerce Degree and spent the next 50 years in the business world. He is actively involved in many business and professional associations and charitable organisations for which he was awarded The Order of the British Empire - Commander (CBE) and Member of the Order of Australia (AM). After retirement, he became interested in military history and in particular the World War II Nominal Roll, the official website listing those who served in that conflict. He graduated from the University of Queensland in 2009 with a M. Phil in Journalism for his thesis, later published, about the World War II Nominal Roll.