About this book
The work is a regimental history of the 28th Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force, written by its first commanding officer, Colonel H. B. Collett, C.M.G., D.S.O., V.D. Published in 1922, it opens with a formal foreword by the Archbishop of Perth and a preface that explains the author’s aim to record the daily life, movements and casualties of the unit from its formation in Western Australia through embarkation, training in Egypt, the Gallipoli campaign, a spell on Lemnos Island and the march across the Sinai Peninsula. The detailed contents list shows a chronological narrative broken into chapters that describe everything from the march through Perth, the ship “Ascanius,” camp life in Abbasia, sightseeing in Cairo, trench conditions at the Apex, and the battalion’s eventual departure for France, supplemented by extensive appendices of rolls, honours and maps.
Collett’s voice is that of a contemporary military officer recalling events for comrades and families; the prose is straightforward, matter‑of‑fact and occasionally reflective, interspersed with personal anecdotes and occasional editorial comment. The style reflects early‑20th‑century official histories, with a focus on factual description rather than literary flourish. Readers interested in World War I Australian military history, genealogists tracing ancestors in the 28th Battalion, or anyone who enjoys detailed accounts of training, logistics and frontline experience will find this volume a valuable primary source.
