Bit late to #histbookchat this week due to browser problems. Switched to a desktop pc for now and can finally see videos! Last week I finished the Grim Glory history of the 2/19th Bn and it was the best book I have ever read. I'm still thinking about it but now reading the 2/29th history. /2

This #photofriday finds me still with the Grim Glory of the 2/19th Bn so I am hoping my offering of ‘The Price of Admiralty’ by P & M McGuire might be of interest. It is the story of HMAS Parramatta and also represents the story of her sister ships shown in the list on the right. #histbookchat /2

Went out for the day kickin’ rocks in the Snowy-Monaro area of NSW. Ended up with this nice haul of red jasper. It will polish up a real treat! Or it will just sit in the garage with all the other rocks. 🤓 Not far from my mind, the 2/19th Bn was raised from the Snow-Monaro and Riverina areas.

”From 8th to 15th February 1942 the 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion fought to save Singapore. From 15th February 1942 to 15th August 1945 they would fight a very different battle.” Just adding an extra photo thread to my #photofriday #histbookchat offering this week. It’s such a beautiful book. /2

This week I am about halfway through ’The Grim Glory’ and the 2/19th Bn is up against it as the Japanese landings begin on Singapore Island. Also facing the Japanese is the newly arrived 2/4th Australian Machine Gun Bn and the exquisite ‘Colour Patch’ is my #photofriday #histbookchat offering. /2

This #photofriday I am reading ’The Grim Glory: The Official History of 2/19 Battalion A.I.F’. This is the story of my favourite battalion and it is also the most treasured book in my collection. I am most grateful to own a copy although the 1975 edition remains the Holy Grail! #histbookchat /2

This #photofriday my offering is ‘Where Fate Calls: The HMAS Voyager Tragedy’ by Tom Frame. On the night of 10 Feb 1964, during exercises off Jervis Bay, the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne collided with the destroyer HMAS Voyager resulting in the loss of 82 of Voyager’s 314 crew. #histbookchat /2

I am having the same problem loading photos this #photofriday. Will try again at random times over the weekend. #histbookchat

Remembering an Anzac original ... faulknera.substack.com/p/their-fond...

#histbookchat #photofriday ‘No Lost Battalion’ is a brilliant book. 💕

Bluesky wouldn’t accept my #photofriday #histbookchat last week. At first I thought it was because of the shirtless 2/29th Bn soldiers on the cover but I think Bluesky is just a bit glitchy with my posts at times. I’ll try again this weekend but if I can’t post photos it won’t be a #photofriday!

It has been a huge team effort over many years, but the Australian War Memorial's new Anzac Hall is open. This includes "Kandahar Workhorse". It was a great privilege to meet many Chinook veterans & family members, & share their untold stories of bravery & loss, professionalism & humour.

This #photofriday I am reading ‘Galleghan’s Greyhounds’ with the 2/30th currently on the retreat to Singapore. It’s a great read! My offering this week is a book on the CO which I read in 2023 - ‘Black Jack: The Life and Times of Brigadier Sir Frederick Galleghan’ by Stan Arneil. #histbookchat

This #photofriday I am reading ‘Galleghan’s Greyhounds: The Story of the 2/30th Australian Infantry Battalion, 22 November 1940 to 10 October 1945’ by A.W. Penfold, W.C. Bayliss and K.E. Crispin. As part of the 27th Brigade, the 2/30th fought in the Malaya Campaign and Singapore. #histbookchat /2

This #photofriday I am reading ‘Nippon Slaves’ by Lionel de Rosario. Lionel was a member of the Singapore Volunteer Corps. He was imprisoned in Changi as a POW and later forced to work on the Thai-Burna Railway at the remote Songkurai camp just south of the Thai border with Burma. #histbookchat /2

I had the pleasure of watching Eivør in concert in Sydney tonight with my son. I last saw Eivør a couple of years ago as support for Heilung. Both are fantastic shows!

I was locked out of Bluesky all day yesterday and now I’m waiting on a bus to take me away for the weekend. Not ideal for #photofriday so just a quick offering this week: ‘The Singapore Chinese Massacre’ which I finished the other day and ‘Staff Wallah’ which is my current read. #histbookchat

This #photofriday finds me with Peter Brune and his ‘Descent Into Hell’. Today we meet the 2/30th Australian Infantry Battalion (Galleghan’s Greyhounds) at their ambush at Gemencheh Bridge near Gemas where 800 troops of the Japanese 5th Division were killed, wounded or went missing. #histbookchat /2

The rain has set in down the coast. Raising new divisions and making do.👌📚 #histbookchat

This #photofriday finds me packed up and ready for a long weekend down the coast and with my current read ‘Descent Into Hell: The Fall of Singapore - Pudu and Changi - the Thai-Burma Railway’ by Peter Brune. A brick at 800 or so pages but absolutely worth the pack weight. #histbookchat /2

This #photofriday finds me with my feet up at home, having finished my holiday read, ‘The Coast Watchers’ by Patrick Lindsay, and getting stuck into the book I left behind, ‘Wewak Mission’ by Lionel Veale, which I’m about halfway through. #histbookchat /2

This #photofriday offering is a new purchase ‘Milne Bay 1942: The Story of ’Milne-Force’ and Japan’s First Military Defeat on Land’ by Clive Baker and Greg Knight. I’m very excited about this one and will probably percolate it to the top of the TBR after the Coastwatchers. #histbookchat /2

This week I am reading ‘Wewak Mission’ by Lionel Veale but it’s too precious to chuck in my backpack for a trip away next week so I’ll probably have to run two books on the go for a bit. In the meantime, please accept this shelfie as my humble #photofriday #histbookchat offering. 📚 🇦🇺

My #photofriday offering this week is ‘Crimea: The Great Crimean War 1854-1856’ by Trevor Royle. I very much enjoyed reading two of his concise regimental histories last year and now this very handsome and substantial volume on Crimea is a welcome addition to the TBR. #histbookchat

This #photofriday finds me with, Commander Eric Feldt, R.A.N, the Allied Intelligence Bureau and the network of courageous and dedicated Coastwatchers. An upcoming book in this series is ‘Wewak Mission: Coastwatchers at War in New Guinea’ by Lionel Veale. #histbookchat /2

By the outbreak of WWII the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) had recruited hundreds of coastwatchers in Australia and the South Pacific. Responsibility for the network fell to Lieutenant Commander Eric Feldt, an intelligence staff officer at Port Moresby. My #photofriday and next #histbookchat read:

RIP Rob Hirst. </3

Geez, great stuff @andrewfaulkner9.bsky.social ! Can’t wait for this! 💕

This #photofriday finds me still with the 2nd Ind. Coy (2/2 Commando Squadron) but now in New Guinea where they face their final battles before returning to Australia and on to New Britain. And it’s there, too, for my next read: ’We Were The First’ by Alexander ‘Sandy’ McNab. #histbookchat /2

You've probably not heard of Sandakan. Of the almost 2500 British and Australian POWs held by the Japanese only 6 survived. I've listened to their harrowing interviews and it's something special to me to find a book signed by 3 of them. #histbookchat

This #photofriday finds me putting together my Top 5 reads for 2025. I completed 40 books, which is about average for me, and although I disliked a couple of them none were abandoned. I like to plan out my reading and group together books in mini series of 4-6 where possible. #histbookchat /2

Thanks to all who have bought my new book. Still some copies at Dillons Norwood Bookshop. Otherwise DM me and we can meet/arrange a delivery. #RadioStars

I’m down the coast this #photofriday and have brought the 2nd Independent Company history along for the trip. This copy is signed by the author so I need to look after it! The ’Doomed Battalion’ 2/40th history was excellent and this one on the Double Reds is also a great read. #histbookchat /2

Wishing the #histbookchat community a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. A houseplant might double as our Christmas tree but it still has pride of place for the third year running! 😍

I’m currently locked out of my DMs due to the new age verification requirements. Apologies if you have sent me a DM and I can’t read/reply.

I’m still with the doomed 2/40 Bn in Timor this #photofriday and as @alparky.bsky.social said, it’s a superbly researched book.👌Staying in Timor, next I will be reading my very special copy of ‘A History Of The 2nd Independent Company and 2/2 Commando Squadron‘ by Colin Doig. ♦️♦️ #histbookchat /2

This #photoFriday finds me with Sparrow Force in Dutch Timor and ‘Doomed Battalion: The Australian 2/40 Battalion 1940-45, Mateship & Leadership In War & Captivity’ by Peter Henning. Mainly Tasmanians, the 2/40th Battalion was sent to Timor in December 1941 to garrison an airfield. #histbookchat /2

My #photofriday offering is my current read ‘Ambon: The truth about one of the most brutal POW camps in World War II and the triumph of the Aussie spirit’ by Roger Maynard. Sent on a doomed mission to defend the island of Ambon, only 300 men out of a force of 1150 survived the war. #histbookchat /2

Currently reading: ‘Gull Force: Survival and Leadership in Captivity 1941-1945’ by Joan Beaumont.

In Melbourne this week and very happy to find a copy of ‘It Happened To Us - Mark II’ by Gunner Finkemeyer. If it’s half as good as the first one I am in for a great read. #histbookchat

@lwestwoodauthor.bsky.social This has been an insane day, Laurence. Sixteen wickets! 🤣

This #photofriday finds me still in Rabaul and thinking about my next read ‘Line of Fire’ by Ian Townsend which looks at five Australians, including an eleven year old boy and his mother, who were executed for spying by a Japanese firing squad at Rabaul. #histbookchat /2

For my #photofriday #histbookchat post I just want to say how much I appreciated the Mawson bookshop. My son and I loved visiting and chatting with David who was always kind and generous with his knowledge and most importantly we bought heaps of great books! All the best to you both, Kristen. 🍰📚

Final proof. Exciting and terrifying in equal measure. #amwriting

Soon I’ll be picking up where Fortress Rabaul leaves off with ‘Target: Rabaul - The Allied Siege of Japan’s Most Infamous Stronghold, March 1943-August 1945’ by Bruce Gamble. It is also my humble #photofriday #histbookchat offering this week.

My ruptured achilles and smashed knees have been healing nicely so I started on longer walks a few weeks ago. I’m up to 17km and absolutely loving it. #walking #rehab

This #photofriday I am reading ‘Fortress Rabaul: The Battle for the Southwest Pacific, January 1942-April 1943’ by Bruce Gamble. This is the 2nd book in Gamble’s trilogy and focuses on the opening phase of the conflict when Rabaul served as a springboard for new Japanese offensives. #histbookchat /2

This #photofriday I am reading ‘Darkest Hour: The True Story of Lark Force at Rabaul’ by Bruce Gamble. This is a re-read for me and kicks off a new series looking at Lark, Sparrow and Gull Forces, inc. infantry battalions and other units in New Britain, New Ireland, Timor and Ambon. #histbookchat /2

This is where I leave the Broken Eighth and this series which was a fascinating, rewarding and memorable look at the Australian Armoured Corps history, the 4th Anti-Tank Regiment, the 2/3rd and 2/4th Machine Gun Battalions and the 2/15th and 2/14th Field Regiments. Lest we forget. #histbookchat