Stealth Raiders
In what could be the last original work to be written about the Australian soldiers of World War I, Stealth Raiders: A Few Daring Men in 1918 tracks the evolution of stealth raids, a subject which hasn’t been considered in depth since Charles Bean laid down his pen in 1942.
Thoughts of the First World War conjure images of muddy trenches enclosed in barbed wire, yet during the crucial summer of 1918 battles were fought on rolling farmlands. This change in landscape, with its open fronts, foiled the Allies’ existing tactics. In response, a few daring men instigated what would be one of the most impressive gambits of the First World War – stealth raids.
Frustrated that commanding officers persisted in formal engagements that often resulted in heavy casualties, experienced soldiers undertook unauthorised raids that took little time to plan and execute and were overwhelmingly more effective. The first documented stealth raid took
seven minutes to plan and ten to execute, and resulted in the capture of 22 Germans and a machine gun, all under the nose of their nearest comrades. The remarkable success of these raids has led to some key misconceptions of the Western Front in 1918, for example Stealth Raiders challenges the role of Sir John Monash in advancing the Allied position. It throws new light on and a much deeper understanding of the Australian achievement in 1918.
Notably, the majority of the men involved in these incursions were veteran soldiers of the lowest ranks who hailed from the Australian bush. The distinct ‘bush’ ethos, with its high emphasis on independence and mateship, and skills acquired in the bush, meant these men were uniquely suited to these forays. Of the 204 men involved in stealth raids, 63% came from the ‘bush’, a percentage which is significantly higher than that of the total percentage of men with rural backgrounds in the AIF.
Bringing to life the outposts of 1918, through the diaries and letters of the men closest to the enemy, Stealth Raiders is a vivid account of the First World War from the perspective of frontline soldiers, unveiling the success of these stealth raids and the Aussie larrikins who participated in them.
For this and other great titles: www.penguinrandomhouse.com.au
RRP $34.99 |
In what could be the last original work to be written about the Australian soldiers of World War I, Stealth Raiders: A Few Daring Men in 1918 tracks the evolution of stealth raids, a subject which hasn’t been considered in depth since Charles Bean laid down his pen in 1942.
Thoughts of the First World War conjure images of muddy trenches enclosed in barbed wire, yet during the crucial summer of 1918 battles were fought on rolling farmlands. This change in landscape, with its open fronts, foiled the Allies’ existing tactics. In response, a few daring men instigated what would be one of the most impressive gambits of the First World War – stealth raids.
Frustrated that commanding officers persisted in formal engagements that often resulted in heavy casualties, experienced soldiers undertook unauthorised raids that took little time to plan and execute and were overwhelmingly more effective. The first documented stealth raid took
seven minutes to plan and ten to execute, and resulted in the capture of 22 Germans and a machine gun, all under the nose of their nearest comrades. The remarkable success of these raids has led to some key misconceptions of the Western Front in 1918, for example Stealth Raiders challenges the role of Sir John Monash in advancing the Allied position. It throws new light on and a much deeper understanding of the Australian achievement in 1918.
Notably, the majority of the men involved in these incursions were veteran soldiers of the lowest ranks who hailed from the Australian bush. The distinct ‘bush’ ethos, with its high emphasis on independence and mateship, and skills acquired in the bush, meant these men were uniquely suited to these forays. Of the 204 men involved in stealth raids, 63% came from the ‘bush’, a percentage which is significantly higher than that of the total percentage of men with rural backgrounds in the AIF.
Bringing to life the outposts of 1918, through the diaries and letters of the men closest to the enemy, Stealth Raiders is a vivid account of the First World War from the perspective of frontline soldiers, unveiling the success of these stealth raids and the Aussie larrikins who participated in them.
For this and other great titles: www.penguinrandomhouse.com.au
RRP $34.99 |
