THE OFFICIAL HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA IN THE WAR OF 1914 – 1918 BY C.E. W BEAN 12 Volume Set (Second Hand Book )

SECOND HAND BOOKS

Volume I – The story of ANZAC from the outbreak of war to the end of the first phase of the Gallipoli Campaign, May 4, 1915

This first volume starts with the outbreak of war and ends on 4 May 1915 – just nine day after the fateful Gallipoli landing. It sets the whole campaign in perspective, starting with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in June of 1914 and the almost inevitable build-up to full-scale invasion and war. The Australians and New Zealanders were quick to respond to the calls of the mother country, recruiting for the AIF beginning six days after the outbreak of war. And by early November the first Australian and New Zealand contingent was able to sail from Australia arriving in Cairo in early December.

Volume II – The Story of ANZAC from 4 May, 1915, to the evacuation of the Gallipoli Peninsula

This volume covers the period immediately following the disastrous Gallipoli landing of 25 April 1915, up until the evacuation of Helles in January of the following year. It deals in detail with the second battle of Krithia, the repulse of the Turks, the battles of Lone Pine and Sari Bair, and the landing at Suvla Bay. It also covers Lord Kitchener’s visit to Anzac and the subsequent British Government order to evacuate Anzac and Suvla.

Volume III – The Australian Imperial Force in France, 1916

After the evacuation from the Gallipoli Peninsula at the end of 1915 the AIF returned to Egypt where it was reorganised into two corps, I and II Anzac. By mid-1916 both Corps had arrived on the Western Front where operations on the Somme were about to begin. In Volume III of the Official History, C.E.W. Bean describes the major Australian contribution to the Somme Campaign, destined to be its worst ordeal of the war.

Volume IV – The Australian Imperial Force in France, 1917

After the AIF’s terrible losses on the Somme and at Fromelles in 1916, the 1917 volume opens with plans for the coming twelve months. These were set back however when the Germans carried out an extensive evacuation. Its completion found the Germans behind well prepared defences, which the Entente forces, including the Australians, attacked with little real success for the rest of the year.

Volume V – The Australian Imperial Force in France during the Main German Offensive, 1918

This volume deals with the German offensive of March/April 1918, a decisive episode in the history of Europe and one of absorbing interest to the student of war. It could be argued that the most important battles in Australian military history were fought around Amiens and Hazelbrouck in the spring of this year. Although the Australians suffered over 15,000 casualties in March/April 1918, by the end of April their 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Divisions were holding half the crucial front from Arras in the north to Amiens in the southeast. The Australian Troops had never fought better or with more telling effect.

Volume VI – The Australian Imperial Force in France during the Allied Offensive, 1918

This volume covers the last six months of the war, beginning with the weeks of “peaceful penetration” (when the AIF almost alone was constantly on the offensive), then the model battle of Hamel on 4 July, and finally the great offensive beginning on 8 August in which the AIF was the main spearhead in a series of smashing victories.
In this volume, Bean sums up his views on the Australian soldier and attempts to answer the great question,” If he was such a great soldier, why?”. He also contributed a major biographical study of the corps commander, Lieutenant-General Sir John Monash, and unforgettable sketches both of other generals and heroes of every rank.

Volume XII – Photographic Record of The War, Reproductions of pictures taken by the Australian official Photographers

This volume was not included in this project, as all the original images are available within the collection.

Missing :

Volume VII – The Australian Imperial Force in Sinai and Palestine, 1914 -1918

Volume VIII – The Australian Flying Corps in the Western and Eastern Theatres of War, 1914-1918

Volume IX – The Royal Australian Navy, 1914-1918

Volume X – The Australian at Rabaul. The Capture and Administration of the German Possessions in the Southern Pacific

Volume XI – Australia During the War

Specifications:

Condition: Fair.  light age toning.

Publisher: Angus & Robertson, Sydney 

Year:

Vol I 1937

Vol II 1937

Vol III 1938

Vol IV 1937

Vol V 1942

Vol VI 1937

Vol XII 1937

Format: Hardback

Pages:

Vol I 662 pages

Vol II 911 pages

Vol III 969 pages

Vol IV 765 pages

Vol V 1025 pages

Vol VI 968 pages

Vol XII 753 pages

ISBN: Nil

$300.00

1 in stock