Title: Our Dear Old Battalion – the Story of the 7th Battalion AIF, 1914 – 1919
Author: Austin, Ron
Condition: Mint
Edition: 1st Edition
Publication Date: 2004
ISBN: 0957975236
Cover: Hard Cover with Dust Jacket – 320 pages
Comments: The detailed history of the Seventh Battalion AIF during World War One.
When four Victoria Crosses were awarded to officers and men of the 7th Battalion following the Lone Pine attacks at Gallipoli during August 1915, the battalion’s enviable fighting record was confirmed. No other Australians battalion during two World Wars has match the 7th’s record of four VCs in a single battle!
The 7th Battalion was formed in August 1914, and during its existence had three outstanding Commanding Officers; Lt-Cols ‘Pompey’ Elliott, Carl Jess and ‘Dad’ Herrod. With fine leaders such as these men, the 7th Battalion was destined for success. Recruited mainly from Bendigo, central Victoria and the Western District, the 7th Battalion had as its motto ‘Cede Nullis’ of ‘Concede nothing’.
Having fought in three major battles at Gallipoli – The Landing of 25 April 1915, Krithia and then Lone Pine, by the time the battalion reached France, it was battle-hardened, but great sacrifices were to be required before the war was over, with battles like Pozieres, Ypres and Lihons exacting a heavy cost.
‘Our Dear Old Battalion’ is a stirring story of one of Australia’s most famous infantry units of the Great War, tracing its formation and early life at Broadmeadows, training in Egypt, then to Gallipoli, and after another spell in Egypt, to the Western Front in 1916. Written by one of Australia’s most prolific military historians, the book is profusely illustrated with photos and maps and contains many appendices, including Honours and Awars, Honour and Nominal Rolls.
This book is available from Regimental Books