WAR HISTORY

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1930, Page 2

WAR HISTORY

AUSTRALIA'S RE,CORD

EIGHTEEN YEARS’ WRITING

SYDNEY, April 10,

It is anticipated that when the last volume of .Australia’s war history is completed it will represent eighteen years’ writing. The history.was started in. 1919,, and according to the official historian (Mr C. E. Yv. Bean) anotner six years will lapse be!ore it i finished.

Tlie history of Australia’s part in tlie war has required a long and painstaking research to give all accurate statement. It began when tlie A.I.F. “ropoiter’’ made an effort to obtain facts in the trenches from survivors when their memories were fresh. Mi Bean began there and then; the long pro.ess of checking and discarding statements that were not confirmed, or possible of confirmation. His battlefield notebooks are marked in three colours, providing his private cypher to, the ■ credulity of the witnesses. ; On many occasions the records of enemy units that were opposite the Australia,ns on certain dates have been most valuable inlolinc-hing facts that otherwise; lacked-coniirmation.

’['lie historian is -now engaged on tlie fourth Volumb, dealing with 1917. It covers’-four of tlie biggest periods of lighting in which the A.I.F. was engaged—tlie retirement of the Germans from the Somme to the Hindeninirv line; tlie two battles of Bullecourt and the attack on Lhgnicourt; Messines; and the third battle of Ypres. So much Homeric fighting took place i.ll these engagements that Mr Bean admits that his ' volume has taken more rewriting and compression thaii finy'-'tTiat 1 have preceded it. 1 “He e,stimatTd that ■ it* will tal’t'e; ldhr two and a’ jialf'Teal's each to cdfujilete the 1 'tlwio VtoluAYes that will'complete mis work. 1 ' '] ( "I 1 ll \ _ iVoFumfe TeveiY'of the higfory Will not he the least interesting of. the sei'fesV' iV-ffis ' : is . ljexhg writteri ( by" l l?rpfess'or 'Wiliffim ‘Sjlcoit, ’.'and Nviii' Tldar Jwitli' •Hdppenings , Jll'' Australia.'.' tfifoughout the war. 1 "R js "expecte-cV’^liat^there .will- be" some. Jnterestfng Tevejat'ions,' ■for so’ 'of what. clia lipppen has neeii jkep.t a close secret all tliese vears. It will tell how the “nation found the money” for the war, the organisation of supplies, the purchase of’ships, the conscription referendums, and. soon.

It is of interest to note that German- records are availably?, in the com-' pilfition of. thp Ausfr'aTiqn histq'y." | „ . ' ~ • ’