As Good As Any
Australian Militia Battalions, 1939-1945
Will be published approx. on 31. August 2026
Book
Hardback
386 pages
978-1-009-74348-8 (ISBN)
Description
The Australian Militia Battalions of the Second World War remain one of the most underexplored and misunderstood aspects of Australia's wartime history. Following the only Australian wartime fighting organisation of conscripted men at the time, As Good As Any: The Australian Militia Battalions, 1939-1945 brings together the political, social, and operational dimensions of the Militia with the lived experiences of its individuals. Structured chronologically, this seminal work traces the Militia's evolution throughout the war, from early years on the home front, to Port Moresby and Kokoda, the Beachheads Battles, Salamaua and the Huon Peninsula, culminating in the final campaigns in Bougainville, New Britain and Aitape-Wewak. Drawing on war diaries, personal letters, and parliamentary records, the book reveals the tensions between the Militia and the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF). As Good As Any provides readers with fresh insights and a nuanced understanding of a force that shaped Australia's wartime identity.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises; 5 Tables, black and white; 15 Maps; 30 Halftones, black and white; 5 Line drawings, black and white
Weight
500 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-009-74348-8 (9781009743488)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
James Morrison is a former full-time Army officer. He holds a bachelor of arts with First Class Honours from the University of New South Wales, where he examined Australian Army mechanisation between the world wars. He also holds a master of arts (International Relations) from Deakin University and a master of arts (Defence Studies) from King's College London, where he received the Sir Michael Howard Prize for best overall academic performance on the Advanced Command and Staff Course in 2014-15. In 2021 he was awarded a Chief of Army Scholarship and completed his Ph.D. on the Australian Army Militia during the Second World War in 2022, upon which this book is based. He currently works for the University of New South Wales, supporting defence research.
Content
Introduction; 1. The home front 1939-1941; 2. Home defence and Port Moresby, January-July 1942; 3. Kokoda and Milne Bay, July-November 1942; 4. The Beachheads Battles, AIF transfers and unit disbandment, November 1942-July 1943; 5. Salamaua, April-September 1943; 6. The Huon Peninsula and garrison duty, October 1943-September 1944; 7. The final campaigns, October 1944-August 1945; Conclusion.