Much has been written about the Anzac experience in World War One, but the unique contribution of Tasmanian soldiers has been largely overlooked. Tasmanian Anzacs expands our understanding of the Great War by drawing on previously unexamined private letters, diaries and thousands of service records of Tasmanian soldiers who served in the 12th and 52nd Battalions of the Australian Imperial Force and their brothers and sisters who enlisted in other units. Also given prominence are the families who supported their loved ones with parcels and messages from home to help them cope with the horrors of many critical battles at Gallipoli and the Western Front.
Recounting acts of great courage, physical and mental hardships, capture by the enemy and death on the battlefield, Tasmanian Anzacs commemorates the varied experience of Tasmanian soldiers and their grieving families endured in this richly detailed history of war's human impact.
Stefan Petrow is an Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Tasmania and has been acclaimed for his research on many aspects of Tasmanian history.