AustLit

'A century has now gone by, yet the Gallipoli campaign of 1915-16 is still infamous as arguably the most ill conceived, badly led and pointless campaign of the entire First World War. The brainchild of Winston Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty, following Turkey's entry into the war on the German side, its ultimate objective was to capture the Gallipoli peninsula in western Turkey, thus allowing the Allies to take control of the eastern Mediterranean and increase pressure on the Central Powers to drain manpower from the vital Western Front.

'From the very beginning of the first landings, however, the campaign went awry, and countless casualties. The Allied commanders were ignorant of the terrain, and seriously underestimated the Turkish army which had been bolstered by their German allies. Thus the Allies found their campaign staled from the off and their troops hopelessly entrenched on the hillsides for long agonising months, through the burning summer and bitter winter, in appalling, dysentery-ridden conditions. By January 1916, the death toll stood at 21,000 British troops, 11,000 Australian and New Zealand, and 87,000 Turkish and the decision was made to withdraw, which in itself, ironically, was deemed to be a success.' (Publication summary from Allen & Unwin, 2015 edition)

'It was a cloudless summer day in the year 1900. Everyone at Appleyard College for Young Ladies agreed it was just right for a picnic at Hanging Rock. After lunch, a group of three girls climbed into the blaze of the afternoon sun, pressing on through the scrub into the shadows of the secluded volcanic outcropping. Farther, higher, until at last they disappeared. They never returned. ...'

Source: Publisher's blurb (Penguin Random House, 2014).

The Kia-Ora Coo-ee was an official Australian and New Zealand service magazine produced in Egypt during 1918. Ten monthly issues of the magazine appeared between March and December 1918, having an average circulation of some 13,000 copies a month. Most of the contributed material which appeared in the Kia-Ora Coo-ee was submitted by Australian and New Zealand troops serving in the Middle East, however it also featured contributions from other Allied service personnel, nurses and civilians. The magazine was edited by peacetime journalists Frank Reid and Charles Barrett, with David Barker acting as art editor. Australian war correspondent Harry Gullett joined the magazine for the final issues.

The editorial piece in the final issue stated 'probably nine published copies out of ten have been posted overseas. Naturally, most of these have been sent to our friends in Australia and New Zealand; and so it has served, as nothing else has done, to make our struggles, and our cares, and the lighter side of our soldier-life, familiar to those who waited and prayed at home.'

'In this sequel to Snugglepot and Cuddepie, the three friends – Little Ragged Blossom, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie go on a new adventure together to see new countries. When Ragged Blossom and Snugglepot are captured by the Banksia Men, they are thrown into the sea and go on to meet many new friends (and enemies) in the undersea world including Ann Chovy, Frilly, the baby Little Obelia and John Dory. Snugglepot is saved and reunited with Cuddlepie on dry land (Ragged Blossom stays in the sea to care for Little Obelia), they are joined by Mr Lizard who helps them escape the clutches of the Bad Banksia Men once more and throws the evil creatures into the sea.' (Source: author's website)

'Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and two little gumnut brothers who set off on an adventure to see a human. They are joined on their quest by Mr Lizard and along the way, meet Little Ragged Blossom at a dance. Together the four adventurers meet many new bush friends and battle the evil Mrs Snake and the very scary Bad Banksia Men.' (Source: Author's website)